Trapped in Your World
by WinButler
Summary: Felix has been kidnapped! And now it's up to Piers to save the one he has always loved from the clutches of a psychotic, Imilian Mercury adept with stalking tendencies. Will he rescue Felix in time? shounen ai Felix/Piers Alex/Felix
1. You keep me running in circles

Warning: I have a bad habit of starting things I don't finish because I grow bored of the fandom. I will try. I promise. This is why I should stick to one shots. If it doesn't pan out with this fic I'll rewrite the idea as a oneshot.

Warning 2: Shounen ai/yaoi. Got it? Good. Pairing is Felix/Piers. Shocker! But seriously there is another one sided pairing too.

Warning 3 (last one, I promise): I have not finished the second game yet. I have no idea what happens at the end apart from the vague stuff I've picked up reading fanfiction. So, essentially, I'm just going to make stuff up. You'll have to bear with me and just take the situations as they come.

**You keep me running in circles...**

"Morning, Jen!"

A smile grew on Jenna's face as she looked across the village hall to see her childhood friend and once-crush, Isaac.

"Hey Isaac! I didn't know you were going to be here. Where's Mia?"

Isaac shook his head. "Still stuck in Imil. All the townspeople are banging outside her door, begging her not to leave."

Jenna looked at her friend sympathetically. "So how is this even going to work? Will she have to visit?"

Isaac sighed. "She's the best Healer they've got; she has to go back at least once every couple of months, probably more often. And when they've got a really bad illness or injury."

"That sucks. So you two will be apart quite a lot?"

Isaac looked glum. "Unfortunately."

The two stood in silence for a few moments, before Isaac brightened and looked up. "But, in better news...what's this I hear about you and Garet?"

Jenna blushed. "OK...he proposed."

Isaac broke into a wide smile, and, entirely unexpectedly, threw his arms around the brunette. "Jenna! That's really awesome. When are you two getting married?"

Jenna shrugged. "We're only nineteen. Garet's parents want him to wait until he's at least twenty-one, so it looks like it'll be a long engagement."

Isaac laughed. "Gives you plenty of time to get all the arguments two people could possibly have out of the way before the big day."

Jenna giggled. "You say people, but you forget, when it comes to arguing, me and Garet aren't two ordinary people."

Isaac nodded. "That's true enough, I guess. So...have you decided who's going to be the best man yet?"

Jenna gave Isaac an appraising look. "Well, I don't know, could be just about anyone I guess. Hm...Garet gets to choose, of course - "

"Hold the phone."

"The what?"

"You mean... you're letting Garet make a wedding decision?"

Jenna shrugged. "He's not allowed to do anything else, of course, but I'm not mean enough not to let him choose his own best man. I think..." she gave him a devious expression, "he's thinking about Ivan."

Isaac looked horrified. "Ivan?!?"

Jenna laughed. "I'm kidding. Of course it'll be Felix. My own brother? How could it not be?"

Isaac looked even more incensed. "Felix!?!? Garet HATES Felix!"

"Actually, he doesn't, Garet just doesn't understand half of what Felix says. He thinks Felix looks down on him."

"And doesn't he?"

Jenna puzzled on this. "I don't think so, you know. He's just a protective older brother at heart, no matter what impression he gives out. He just doesn't want to see me with someone he doesn't think is good enough."

"Who does he want to see you with?"

Jenna went ever so slightly pink. "Once, you know, about three months ago, when Felix had had two glasses of Kalay brandy (and you know what half a glass does to him) he told me he thought I should have got together with you."

Isaac looked genuinely surprised. "Me? But...you and Garet are a perfect couple. Everyone knows that."

Jenna shrugged. "Felix is weird. Everyone also knows that."

Isaac sighed. "Well. I hope you and Garet are really happy together. I've probably said this many times, but you two deserve each other. And that's meant in the nicest way possible."

Jenna grinned. "Thanks. Who else knows, by the way?"

Isaac mused on this. "Hm...I think Ivan and Sheba must know, because, let's face it, they can read minds, and my mom knows, because she told me, and Garet's whole family, of course."

"Does Felix know?"

Isaac laughed. "Does Felix know? Jenna, he may just have become OK with the two of you dating. But if he knew you two were getting married, there would probably be a big Garet-shaped hole in that door right there."

"Maybe you're right, Isaac. Maybe we keep this one a secret from him just for a while." Jenna said with a smile.

Isaac looked up. "I'd better go, Jenna, I promised Ivan I'd meet him to...er...work on our, um, psynergy together."

Jenna raised her eyebrows. "Go ahead."

Isaac scurried off, leaving a mildly confused Jenna in the village hall, where the villagers had gathered that morning to discuss the rebuilding of the remaining parts of their once-prosperous town.

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It was almost a year since the eight adepts had saved Weyard, and most of them were living comfortably in Vale and the surrounding areas.

Jenna and Garet were living in Vale together. Isaac was preparing to move his girlfriend, Mia, into his house, while she made arrangements to leave her home town of Imil. Sheba and Ivan technically lived in Vault, but spent almost all their time in Vale with their friends. Ivan was now seventeen to Sheba' sixteen, and they, too were dating.

The three couples had been living happily, and almost peacefully, but there was still one, ah, _incomplete _couple. Felix and Piers both resided in Kalay (with regular visits to Vale), and much to Jenna's extreme dismay, neither one of them had bothered to confess their feelings to the other. Jenna sometimes felt like taking a frying pan and threatening to beat her older brother over the head with it until he told Piers he was madly in love with him. Everyone was secretly glad she hadn't regressed to this point, as they all knew Jenna would not hesitate at the chance to assault Felix with a semi-deadly weapon. Much as she loved her older brother, they could hardly count the number of times per day she grumbled about how annoying he was.

Felix and Piers were both staying in Vale at this very moment, under Jenna's watchful eye, in the spare room of their new house, where Jenna and Garet lived together...

"Fe? I need some help."

Felix rolled his eyes. What could the idiot Lemurian possibly need this time?

He strolled into the bedroom to find Piers tangled in the bedsheets, head and hands sticking out of random places.

"_Piers. _What did you do? I told you not to touch the bedsheets, you know you're useless with them. Now I'll have to fix this, won't I?" Felix said with a sigh, as he proceeded to yank the bedcovers as hard as he could, flipping Piers out of the bed and onto the floor with a loud _thunk. _

"Ow...you didn't have to be so rough about it. You know I never had bedcovers the whole time we were on the ship, not once."

Felix smirked. "I know, you slept on the deck every single night. Not even in an inn would you venture near the bed. I'd just find you lying outside next to a river or something the next morning. You're such an idiot, Piers." He said fondly.

"It's not beds I mind, I just don't understand why there have to be so many layers. And pillowcases...don't even get me started. Ask me to fly a ship from here to Prox, that I'll do for you. Anything domestic gets me lost. I'm useless in the kitchen, useless in the bedroom."

Felix raised his eyebrows. "I'll keep that in mind." He said with a smile.

Piers went entirely pink, which clashed horribly with his hair. "Get your mind out of the gutter, you." He said with a slight smile.

Felix grinned. "Will do."

The two sat on Piers' bed in a comfortable silence for a minute or two.

Piers suddenly turned to Felix. "Fe, what are we doing tonight?"

Felix came out of his reverie to respond to his friend. "Tonight? I don't know, I suppose Jenna's having Isaac and Mia over, that is, if she ever gets here. Ivan and Sheba'll probably turn up too."

Piers looked surprised. "They're here? In Vale?"

Felix rolled his eyes. "Aren't they always? Wreaking havoc at this very moment, I expect."

Piers laughed. "Ah, they're only kids, though."

Felix frowned. "I don't remember being that childish when I was sixteen."

"Fe, dear, I don't expect you were childish when you were six. I, however, am so very _old _thatSheba and Ivan are still very much children to me."

Felix grimaced. "And you still won't tell me exactly how old?" he said in a would-be casual voice.

Piers gave Felix a self-satisfied look. "Nope."

Felix flicked his head away, whipping Piers in the eye with his hair. "Fine. Don't tell me. See if I care."

"Oh, but you do..." Piers jumped on Felix from behind, tackling him to floor and proceeding to sit on top of him and tickle him mercilessly.

"Ah! Get off me! Get the hell _off _of me, you stupid Lemurian!"

Piers pouted. "Oh, Fifi, you hurt me."

Felix shoved Piers off him and got up, striding out of the room with a haughty expression on his face.

"Oh, and Piers?" he added, as he was about to exit.

"Yes, Felix, darling?"

"Don't ever call me Fifi again. Oh, and while you're at it, you can lose the "darling" too."

**END OF CHAP**

A/N: Very little F/P action, sorry. Some vague plot may appear which renders random first-chapter smut a waste of time. I have actually written more of this fic, but it's not going up yet, probably a couple more days til the next chap.

R&R! Please! 3

BTW, the title and all chap titles are from Elliot Minor "The white one is evil"...For Jodie! If she reads this...


	2. He's coming back for more

Author's notes: Lol, I do know they didn't have mobile phones. I will try to keep it to the vague era, but just to warn you guys, if it is slightly AU, I am sorry. Another thing (this one's for you Jodie-kins): As fellow authors will know, once you've got to the stage of choosing your title, you've already submitted your document and to change it you would have to go back and start again. I did not want to. So, I am perfectly aware that "trapped in your world" is from Parallel Worlds, not TWOIE. I would be such a crap Elliot Minor fan if I did not know that. I love you, Jodie.

General Warnings: Again, this fanfiction will contain shounen ai (malexmale). If it bothers you, please do not flame the pairing.

Finally: This chapter is boring. I profusely apologize. But the next more exciting and more blatantly PierslovesFifi! Part is coming next. It is in fact already written.

He's coming back for more

The whole gang were gathered in Jenna's living room later that evening, after sharing dinner and stories about what each had been up to the past couple of months.

"I can't believe it's really been this long." Mia said with a warm smile. "I've missed you all terribly."

Isaac laid a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. "Well you're here now, that's all that matters."

Mia blushed, while Felix noticed Ivan giving her a rather sinister look. "Well it was difficult enough to get here. My things are all still packed at Isaac's...I only arrived an hour ago!"

"What happened?" asked Jenna. Jenna and Mia had at first been on slightly difficult terms, as Jenna was not _entirely _over Isaac when he asked Mia to be his girlfriend, but after she realised she and Garet were much better suited than she and Isaac ever could have been, she warmed up to the girl considerably. Mia was glad to be finally in Vale, but she couldn't deny that there were a few things that bothered her. One was her home, and townspeople. She didn't like to admit it, but she had a feeling more people were going to be ill and suffering in Imil due to her leaving, and that made her feel very guilty indeed. She had left them to travel with Isaac, Ivan and Garet, and promised she would return. And after staying less than a year, she was up and leaving again, this time for good. Another thing was the problem of company. Of course, she had Isaac, but he spent a good deal of time with his best friend, Garet, and also Ivan. Mia, too, got on very well with Garet and Ivan, having been their travelling companion for almost two years, but they understood each other in the way that only boys can. She barely knew Felix and Piers, since they both lived in Kalay, and she had only just moved to Vale, so their visits barely ever coincided. And they had pretty much kept themselves to themselves when the two parties had met up on their travels. And of course Jenna and Sheba were the best of friends, having spent so much time together. There was a bond between them. Mia simply felt a little out of place in the whole scheme of things. She had little in common with the other two girls.

"Oh, they just...didn't want me to leave." Mia sighed.

Isaac rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "But you wanted to come, that's the important thing." He said reassuringly. "We'll visit. Of course we'll visit."

Mia did not say anything. She did not plan to speak up, but there was another thing that was bothering her. There was a person living in Vale...one she was secretly very afraid of, despite all her misgivings. He had been defeated, for sure, by Isaac, Felix and the others (including her) but had agreed to turn a new leaf, and was now residing in New Vale itself under the watchful eye of the scholar Kraden. Mia knew everyone else was used to him living here, and though they barely ever saw him, were plenty civil to him.

But Mia...she felt as though she was only person who truly understood the depths of Alex's evil. People don't change overnight...

"I know we'll visit." She said brightly, becoming herself again. "It's just going to be a bit of a change. Truth be told...I don't know how well I'll fit in here."

Garet snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about, 'cause we all think you're awesome, Mia. We went through thick and thin together, the four of us did" – he motioned to Ivan and Isaac – "and now that we've got you here we're not letting you run away again. Got it?" he said.

Mia smiled. Trust Garet to make her feel, in his own, bizarre, foot-in-his-mouth way, right at home.

"So." Said Jenna, breaking the silence. "Felix, how's the job going?" she grinned at her brother.

Felix grimaced. "Not well." He said in his usual taciturn manner. Felix had taken a part time job in Kalay working in an armour repair shop. "I feel...useless. I'm not..."

"Saving the world?" Jenna finished.

"Sounds pathetic, but yes. Exactly." Said Felix shortly.

Piers put an arm around his friend. "Look on the bright side, Fe. We saved the whole darn world. Now we can relax."

Felix frowned. "I'm not good at relaxing."

Piers sighed. "I know you're not."

Ivan and Sheba were by this time giggling to each other, having used mind read on Felix to find out exactly what he was thinking when Piers put that arm around him, even mere days after promising they would never, ever use it on their friends again. Felix, who knew exactly what the two Jupiter adepts had done, gave them his most menacing glare, but then, Felix was not very good at giving evils.

Felix shrugged. "I'll give it up one day. Do something more worthwhile. I got offered a job in Madra." He added casually.

The rest of the group stared at him. Ivan and Sheba stopped giggling. Isaac dropped Mia's hand.

Piers looked incredulously at the young man sat beside him. "_Madra_They must be nuts to think you'd take that job! You live so far away!"

"Well." Said Felix. "I could move there."

The others were sat in silence. Only Piers was trying to rally, laughing about the whole thing, though the group could clearly see the pain in his eyes. "Ha! Move there! Good one, Fe. What job could they possibly think they could offer you that would make you move away from your friends?"

"Well," began Felix, "Crime's been up again in Madra, nothing big, but more and more crimes have been linked to people who can use Psynergy. It's not fair on the non-adepts who work there. They wanted me to go there and become Captain of the Madra Guard. That's the team of people that guard the prisons, catch criminals, and keep Madra and the surrounding areas safe. They could really use someone like me there, I think. There's just not enough people left with Psynergy who won't use it just to get something they want without reckoning the cost."

Piers was silent. Felix was serious. He almost never said more than one sentence in one go unless he was serious about something.

Once again, it was Jenna who broke the uncomfortable silence. "So, are you thinking of going?" she asked brightly.

Felix shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. It'd be nice to know I was doing something that helps people. Something important. But I don't know if I want to leave. I'll have to think about it." He said non-comittally.

"Well, OK. Just make sure you're positive before you make any decisions." Said Sheba sagely. "Don't forget there's seven people here who quite frankly like you where you are."

Felix looked slightly ashamed. Piers came to his rescue.

"Well, I think we should talk about something different. Jen, Garet, when's the wedding?" he asked mischievously.

Jenna narrowed her eyes at Ivan and Sheba. "All right. Which one of you told him? You know he can't keep a secret!"

Ivan put on a look of mock puzzlement. "Wedding? Jenna, I had no idea! Congratu - "

"Save it. You don't think I know what you two run around doing all day? Mind reading whoever you can find until it gets boring. You two really need to get a better hobby. I hear they're hiring at the inn. Anyway, I don't even want to know when and how you found out, but I do want to know which one of you told this - "

"A – Ah! Felix, you're hurting me." Piers looked pained. Felix, who had been subtly holding his hand during the talk about Madra, had now got a look of pure venom on his face, his knuckles white. He seemed to be gripping Piers' hand (and, indeed, the other side of the sofa) unnecessarily tight, as if to attempt to pawn off his anger on them.

"Wedding?" he asked, his voice deadly quiet. "Who said anything about a wedding?"

Jenna went slightly pink. "Felix...we were hoping maybe we could have your blessing. I mean, Garet's parents are fine with it, as long as we wait until we're twenty-one, and I was kind of hoping maybe you'd be OK with it too."

Felix's face softened a little. "Jenna, are you truly happy?"

She gave her fiancé a warm smile. "Yes. I really am. Happier than I've ever been before."

Felix shrugged nonchalantly. "Then, I guess I'm happy for you. You have my blessing."

No one but Piers noticed Felix's grip did not loosen.

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END OF CHAP

A/N: Thanks for putting up with my crapness, next chap up in a few days. R&R! 3


	3. I'm guessing that he plans this

A/N: I'm really not in the mood for slash, so y'all are lucky this is already written. grumbles. Sorry. Ignore my moodiness.

Disclaimer: I keep forgetting to do this, so here goes: I don't own it.

**I'm guessing that he planned this**

The evening wore on, and the talk turned to dull, monotonous daily things. Isaac and Garet discussed the rebuilding of the town bridge, Jenna and Sheba gossiped, Ivan and Mia chatted about her plans to move in with Isaac, and Felix left to go to the bathroom. The group reconvened as Jenna asked Sheba about her work with Kraden.

Sheba blinked. "Kraden? Oh, he's OK, I suppose. Just as usual."

For the past few months, Ivan and Sheba had been regularly seeing Kraden so that he could pass on his wisdom about alchemy to the two young adepts. Advanced though they were, they felt there was far more they could learn.

Jenna pouted. "I haven't seen him in weeks. Garet, tomorrow, why don't we go visit him? I don't want to just become one of those adepts that never even uses their psynergy. I bet there's loads we could learn."

Isaac nodded in concurrence. "I agree. I sort of always wanted to become an Elder, as you guys know, and I can't remember the last time I used any psynergy that wasn't Move. I haven't even battled any monsters in at least a couple of weeks."

Jenna grinned. "Then, it's settled. Tomorrow, we see Kraden."

Piers turned to Sheba. "Do the two of you ever see...you know who?"

Sheba frowned. "You mean Alex? Hardly ever. He doesn't often leave the basement, I don't think. Although I heard him in the kitchen the other day. He was mumbling to himself. Something about Felix. I didn't really catch what it was."

Piers frowned. "About Felix? What about him?"

"I said, I didn't catch it. It was probably something unimportant."

Piers did not desist. "But why would he be talking about Felix?"

Sheba shrugged. "I expect he wants to see him again. They were friends, you know, before you came along. No one else to talk to, after all."

Piers frowned. "Speaking of Felix, where is he? He's been in the bathroom at least ten minutes."

"That's a good question, actually." Replied Jenna. "He's probably sulking in his bedroom about this whole Madra thing. Go get him, Piers. Tell him to stop being such a girl."

Piers mumbled to himself something about Felix not being a girl and went upstairs to fetch his friend.

Sheba continued. "Anyway. Alex seems OK. He hasn't tried anything funny, at least. I spoke to him a couple of months ago. He seems to have really changed. Of course, Kraden doesn't really let him do a lot. Most of his Psynergy's sealed, Kraden's only letting him have it back in small doses. Seems to think it's safer."

Jenna nodded. "You never know, maybe he'll end up OK after all."

Garet snorted. "Yeah, that's likely."

Jenna narrowed her eyes at him. "Honestly, Garet, do you have to be so stubborn? People can change, you know."

Garet shrugged. "If you ask me, I'm not the stubborn one. And no offense, but people like him do not change."

"Well, I think you're wrong. Right, guys?"

Sheba and Ivan nodded in concurrence. Isaac shrugged. Mia was silent, not wishing to incur the wrath of Jenna. She privately agreed with Garet.

It was a few moments before the comfortable silence was broken by the arrival of Piers.

"Um, guys, Felix isn't in his room. I think maybe he's gone out."

"Out? Like where? In Vale?"

Piers shrugged. "Probably down to the tavern. I think I'll go find him and make sure he's OK."

The others nodded vaguely. Felix was known for his mood swings. They all just hoped he wasn't attempting to throw himself into the river.

The night dragged on, and eventually the party became sleepy, and decided to call it a night.

Jenna yawned, getting out of the chair she had been sharing with Garet. She stretched her arms, and bid her guests goodnight.

"Sheba, I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Sheba giggled. "Yeah!"

Garet and Isaac exchanged glances. "Er, what're you two so excited about?"

They shook their heads at him.

"Oh Garet."

"What do you think we're excited about?"

"Um..I really couldn't say."

"WEDDING PLANNING!" they cried simultaneously.

"Oh sweet Iris. Wedding planning."

Ivan blushed. "Just leave me out of the equation, OK, Sheba?"

Sheba grinned at her boyfriend. "Don't worry, Ivan. I don't think I'm the marrying kind."

Ivan raised his eyebrows. "Neither is Jenna, and look at her now."

"That's true, I guess."

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END

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. Next one in a few days, yes it's ready. Cheer me up with some reviews, lovelies. £


	4. the white one is evil! oh yes he is

A/N: OK, so this chapter is crap. Whatever. :P

Disclaimer: It is not owned by moi.

Dedicated to: Jodie, for reading this crap, even though she doesn't play the game and faithfully reviewing me. Lots of love. I'll try with the more descriptions next chap, but I couldn't be arsed to change this one.

**I warned you, the white one is evil!!!! (Alex has blue hair though...)**

It was an hour or so later when Garet and Jenna, who had been sitting by the fireside in each other's arms, discussing the evening and other sundry matters, decided it was time to go upstairs to bed.

"Hey." Said Jenna, turning to Garet. "Did Piers ever come back?"

Garet shrugged. "He's probably having a drinking contest with some random sailor at the tavern as we speak."

"I hope so. First Felix rushes off, and now Piers."

"I'm sure they're OK, Jenna."

The two ascended the stairs. As they were walking past the guest bedroom, they heard a strange noise. It sounded almost like...someone crying.

Jenna snapped her head around. "Garet! Who is that?"

"I don't know. I didn't hear anyone come in."

"Should we go see?"

"OK."

Jenna tentatively opened the door to see Piers lying on his bed, crying into the sheets. This was a first. Piers never cried. Ever. He was tough. And almost perpetually happy. Jenna couldn't even remember the last time she had seen the blue-haired Lemurian upset. She certainly never thought she'd see this.

"Piers?"

He turned around, wiping the tears from his golden eyes, glancing at Jenna and Garet.

"Oh. Hi you guys. I'm sorry, I didn't realise you weren't asleep yet."

"Piers, what's going on? Did you find Felix?"

Piers shook his head. "No, I didn't."

"You didn't? But...where could he be?"

"I looked everywhere, Jenna. Then I came back here to see if he had come back while I was gone. I couldn't see anyone downstairs, so I came up here. And...I..."

"You what?"

Piers sniffed. "I found this."

He proffered a piece of paper with writing on it. Jenna took it from him and read it.

"What the hell?" she said. "This can't be right."

Piers shook his head. "I don't believe it either. But it's his handwriting. And...he's gone."

Jenna shook her head. "I can't believe he would do this."

" I don't believe it. He's...he's been kidnapped!" cried Piers.

Jenna frowned. "I don't know."

Piers spluttered. "But it makes no sense. They wouldn't run off together. Why should they?"

Jenna shrugged. "Um...I don't know. No reason, I suppose." Her eyes shifted to her fiance's, warning him not to say a word.

The three were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. Jenna rushed downstairs to answer, swiftly followed by Garet, with Piers glumly following behind.

Jenna flung the door open to find a frantic Kraden, with his new protégé Sheba standing directly behind him, a worried look on her face.

"Kraden? What are you doing here, it's almost one o clock in the morning!"

Kraden shook his head. "Jenna, Garet, something bad has happened. Do you know where Isaac is?"

Jenna frowned. "He's gone home. With Mia."

"I need him. And Mia. And, of course, the three of you. And Felix. We have a problem."

"Well, we've got a little problem here too."

Kraden looked confused. "What, what is it?"

"Felix has gone missing."

Kraden's eyes widened. "Missing? You mean with Alex?"

Piers clenched his fists, slamming them both against the wall.

"How do you know about this, Kraden?" Jenna asked the aged scholar.

"Because – because that's the problem! Alex has gone, too!"

Sheba nodded. "Ivan and I came over to help. Kraden sent for us to look for him, you see."

Jenna and Sheba exchanged knowing glances. Garet shrugged at Piers. "Don't ask me."

Piers growled. "Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on? Why my best friend would have gone off with that...that horrible excuse for a Mercury adept!"

Jenna sighed. "Fine. When we were travelling together, before you came. That is, me, Kraden, Saturos, Menardi, Felix and Alex. And a bit later Sheba of course. Well...the thing is. Here's the thing. The thing is - "

"What is the thing?" snapped Piers.

"The thing is...me and Sheba...and Kraden. Right, Kraden?"

Kraden looked bemused. "As per usual, I have no idea what you're talking about, so let's go with yes."

"We have reason to believe Felix and Alex were kind of...in love."

Piers blanched. All the colour appeared to vanish from his face. He was very quiet. "In love? But...how? Alex is evil. He tried to take over the world. That whole thing?"

Jenna shrugged. "Saturos and Menardi had each other. Kraden and I spent most of our time talking about alchemy. And when Sheba arrived...well, that was pretty much it for me spending time with Felix. Alex is his age."

Piers spluttered. "You're only a year younger than him!"

"But I'm his _sister, _Piers. There are some things you can't talk about with a sister. But you can with a friend."

" After all," continued Sheba, "Felix was rescued by Saturos and Menardi when he was fifteen. They didn't go to kidnap Jenna and Kraden until three years after that. He must have been so lonely. But Alex was there as well. He was there for three years before we came on the scene. And long before we met you."

Piers sighed. "I guess they go back a long way, then."

Jenna looked pained. "Yeah. They kinda do. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything, Piers! I mean, for all we know, we could be totally wrong."

"We're not wrong." Said Sheba solemnly.

"Huh?"

"Felix and Alex were having a thing. I...I read his mind once and found out by accident. It was right after we met Alex in Champa. He seemed distressed, and I knew he wasn't going to just tell me the problem. So...I did it. He was thinking stuff about how he missed him and why did he have to turn up now, why can't he just leave us alone, and his confused feelings for you, Piers."

"For me?"

Sheba nodded. "Surely you know how he feels about you?" she said bluntly.

Piers went red. "Well...no, actually, I didn't."

Sheba sniffed. "Well, then, you're as blind as a bat." She said in a superior tone.

Piers scowled. "Not everyone can use mind read, you know."

Sheba laughed. "Yeah, actually, only me and Ivan can in Vale. How come everyone else knows as well then?"

"You told them?"

"Or maybe it's just that obvious. And someone's being really oblivious to what's right in front of him."

Piers looked forlorn. "This is the worst day ever. My best friend runs off with some guy, and then a blonde midget with a wooden stick tells me he's in love with me."

Whilst Jenna was physically restraining Sheba from battering Piers to death with her Psy Rod for the midget comment, she gave Piers a withering look. "Would you cut it out with all this "my best friend" crap, because we all know you want him even more than he wants you."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Do - "

"Hey guys!" interrupted Garet. "Check it out!"

Garet, who had been poring over Felix's mysterious note, pointed out some odd looking blotches in the upper right corner of the page. "What do you reckon that is, you guys?"

Jenna shrugged. "Looks like blood to me."

"Wait. Blood? What does that mean?"

"Who knows? It could be anything."

"Seriously, Jen. Why would there be blood on this note?"

Piers gasped. "He hasn't run off! He really has been kidnapped! Yes! This is great news!"

Jenna, Sheba, Kraden and even Garet all gave him incredulous looks.

"...Wait. No it isn't!"

----------------------------------------------

END OF THE CHAPTER

A/N: hmmmmm...


	5. Keep holding on

A/N: OK, so I finally finished the second game. It was so amazing. At the end? Is it wrong to very almost cry in a video game? Oh well...

A/N: So...sorry it's been so long. But I did warn you guys, to be fair. I'm terrible with updating.

**Keep holding on and don't let go too quickly**

_Piers,_

_I hope this letter finds you before it finds its way into the hands of Sheba and Ivan, or worse, my sister._

_I don't want you to worry about me, I'm fine. By the time you read this I'll be long gone._

_I don't think you'll see me again. Please don't be too sad, I know you'll find another friend, someone else who can make you feel as good as you made me feel in the time we spent together._

_Alex and I are leaving. I don't know where we're going, or what we'll do, but I know we won't be coming back to Vale. Ever. You won't find us in Kalay, nor Imil, not even Prox. In fact, you won't find us at all. Alex has stolen the Teleport Lapis. Please do not come looking. I don't want you to waste your life trying to find me. Not that I think you would, or anything. _

_Tell Jenna I'm so sorry, and that I can do nothing but follow my heart. And that Garet will have to settle for Isaac as his best man (joking). Tell Ivan I'll miss the time we spent together plotting out revenge on Garet for teasing him. Tell Mia and Isaac that I think, in the end, they'll both end up happy. So long as they do not continue in this vein of self-deceit._

_Tell Sheba how much I'll miss her, that she is like a little sister to me, and that should she ever fall, I would catch her every time._

_And you. I think I'll miss you the most of all. _

_Fe._

_-------------------------------------------------_

"OK. So what's the plan?"

Jenna looked around, puzzled. "The plan? What plan?"

Piers growled. "The plan to save Felix, of course!"

Jenna and Sheba exchanged looks. Piers' face fell. They both still clearly thought Felix had run away of his own accord.

"No, no, you guys! I'm telling you, you're wrong!"

Sheba sighed. "OK, so if we're not wrong. What can we do? He wants Alex, Alex wants him, that's all there is to it. And if we are, well then how do you propose we rescue him? It says right here in the letter, Alex stole the Teleport Lapis. We will never find either of them."

Piers looked incensed. "So you're going to just give up, then? On your own brother? And you" – he rounded on Sheba – "He jumped after you when you fell off Venus Lighthouse and you'll just abandon him now when he needs you? When he needs all of us?"

Jenna and Sheba exchanged guilty looks. It was Sheba that spoke up. "Of course we want Felix back. But there's not exactly any easy way to go about it, is there? We have no idea where he's gone and whether he really has been kidnapped."

Piers was adamant. "He has. And besides, even if he hadn't, we still have to go after him!"

Jenna nodded. Her fiery personality would not allow for her own brother to abandon her without so much as a goodbye. "You're right. We're going after him."

Sheba sighed. "Jenna!"

"He's right, Sheba. We have to get Felix back. We'll gather everyone up, and leave immediately."

Sheba still looked uncertain.

"Come on, Sheba." Her best friend pleaded. "It'll be another adventure. Don't you want to escape that monotony that is daily life now that everything's back to normal?"

Sheba grinned, alit with the fire that only Jenna could inspire in her. "Yeah! Yeah, let's do it! Let's save Felix!"

Jenna squealed. "Yay!"

Piers gave a weak smile. "So the two of you are in. How about you, Garet?"

"Hm? I wasn't really listening, we're doing what now?"

Jenna punched him in the arm. "Saving Felix."

Garet shrugged. "Sure. I'm in."

"Kraden?"

Kraden shook his head. "Oh, no I don't think so. I am very old, you know. And I think one adventure is quite enough at my station in life. I'd best stay here. Keep an eye on things. After all, if you'll all be leaving, it's no good the village being entirely bereft of all its adepts."

"Good point."

Sheba's eyes widened. "So, are we going to get the others?"

"Yep. Ivan, Isaac and Mia will all want in, I'm sure."

"Then let's go!"

The four of them made their way over to Isaac and Mia's place, leaving Kraden to go back to his own house and investigate Alex's disappearance more closely.

Jenna knocked, and after a lapse of perhaps a minute, Mia answered the door in her soft blue dressing gown.

Her eyes gave away her look of surprise at being confronted by the horde of adepts at such a late (or rather, early) hour.

"What are you all doing here?" she asked sleepily.

Jenna cut straight to the point. "Well, we're sorry to wake you, Mia, but the thing is, Felix has gone missing, and we're all going to find him. We'll need adepts, and we were thinking maybe the seven of us could go together. It'll be like old times, you know. Well, like about 8 months ago, but whatever. The point is, we're going to go rescue Felix, whatever mess he's gotten himself into this time. Are you up for it?"

Mia looked worried. "Of course I'll come. He just – vanished, then?"

"Actually, he's run off with Alex."

Mia's eyes turned to stone in this moment.

"Well, he may have done. He wrote a letter saying as much. Piers thinks he's been kidnapped."

"He has been kidnapped!" snapped Piers. "That's the only explanation!"

Jenna nodded. "We're going after him whatever the circumstance, Mia. So you'll join us?"

Mia nodded solemnly. "Yes, of course."

Jenna smiled triumphantly. "Go fetch Isaac, then. We'll definitely need him."

Mia frowned. "I don't think he's back yet."

"Back? What are you talking about, where is he?"

"He's out sparring with Ivan. Says he needs to get his strength back up if he's going to train to be an Elder. "

"Sparring? It's almost half past one in the morning!"

"I know, but you know Isaac. He's – odd like that."

Jenna narrowed her eyes. "We'll go find him, Mia, you stay here. In fact, get dressed and meet us at Kraden's in fifteen minutes. We're reconvening to ask him about what he found at his place."

Mia nodded and retreated back into the house. The remaining four adepts turned to see a tired, sweaty looking Isaac stumbling back towards his house.

"Isaac!" called Jenna, rushing over to him.

"Jenna? What are all of you doing out so late?" he asked.

"Isaac, where's Ivan?"

Isaac looked surprised. "I expect he's gone back home. We just finished sparring."

"Yeah, and before we get into how weird _that _is, we need your help. Felix is missing, we're saving him, just accept that you're coming to help us, I'm not explaining it to another person."

Isaac looked at Garet. "You'll explain it to me later?"

"Assuming he understands what's going on." Said Jenna snidely.

Garet flicked his girlfriend on the forehead, and nodded at Isaac.

------------------------------------------

It was ten past two a.m. by the time the seven adepts had finally managed to assemble once more in Jenna's living room. Jenna was standing in the middle of the room with authority she was so used to after eight months of living with Garet. Isaac and Ivan were sitting across from one another, eyeing each other anxiously. Mia and Sheba were sitting together on the couch, clasping one another's hands in a remarkable gesture of camaraderie, considering they did not, as yet, know each other very well. Garet was pacing up and down, but sat quietly on the floor when he was glared at pointedly by Jenna.

"Ok." She began. "The plan is this. We are going out to search for my brother. We _will _find him. We are not stopping until we do. That's final. Now. Alex has the Teleport Lapis. I know he needs a teleport pad for that to work, but goodness knows there are enough of them. He'll easily have the advantage, especially if he's using a hiding place you can only get to like that, for example the Sea of Time cave." Jenna tossed back her thick auburn hair and her fiery eyes glinted. "But that doesn't mean we can't stop him. We have weapons at our disposal too. Isaac will be our leader. His attack is the strongest and his health and stamina is great too. Garet and I will be his back-up. In terms of brute force, that is. Mia, it'd be great if you'd come along in a healing capacity." She glanced at the blue haired girl. Mia nodded for Jenna to continue. "Ivan and Sheba, I need stealth from the two of you. Cloak Ball needs to be available at all times, and you need to constantly replenish your psynergy stores so you can use Mind Read and Reveal at a moment's notice. Got that?"

Ivan and Sheba nodded mutely.

"Piers." Began Jenna awkwardly. "I need you to be available to use Frost and Douse, as well as carrying the Hover Jade if it's not too much bother. And Piers? Try not to get too hung up on this. We're going to assume that Felix is alive and well. If you start thinking like he's been killed, then we'll never find him."

Piers shrugged. "I can do that."

Jenna grinned. "If my brother weren't in the hands of a psychopath, this might actually be kind of fun."

She was met with somewhat contemptuous looks from her companions.

"Er...OK. So we can start planning our route. They've only been gone a couple of hours, they can't have got that far, since they haven't got the ship. We can take it and use that our advantage. I suggest our first stop off point be Vault. We can ask around and see if anyone saw anything. If not, we'll move on to Kalay or Lunpa. Whatever's necessary. We can't always expect to be able to stay overnight."

"Are we going to bother with Imil?" asked Mia anxiously. "I mean, didn't he say in the letter that he wouldn't go there?" The pain in her voice was apparent. Sheba clutched her hand tighter.

Jenna shrugged. "If you don't want to go in, Mia, we can't force you. There's no need for us all to enter. Two or three of us can check out Mercury Lighthouse while we're at it. But I don't think we can pay too much attention to that letter. I mean, Felix could really mean it, or of course, the whole thing could be a fabrication by Alex to throw us off the track. Who knows? The point is, I think we need to check out important places like Imil. It's Alex's hometown. You don't think he'd want to visit there again?"

Isaac frowned. "It doesn't seem to make sense. Surely they'd realise we'd come after them? It's almost like they _want _us to. And look," he motioned to the map of Weyard they had before them. "Imil's practically closed in. If we arrived, they'd have nowhere else to run."

Jenna frowned. "OK. Everyone back to their respective homes. Pack up your things. We need to leave immediately. We'll meet at the town gate in half an hour." She nodded.

----------------------------------

Somewhere not all that far away...

Felix shuddered. His hands fell limp against the shackles that bound him. His perfect, still-silky chestnut hair fell into his deep brown eyes, eyes filled with nought but senseless lust at that moment. His hands grabbed wildly at Alex's sky blue hair, tugging at it, his soft breath ghosting Alex's neck.

Alex's hands brushed against Felix's thigh...working their way slowly up...

His chilling eyes met Felix's. Felix was taken back in time to the day they had first met. He had been fifteen, Alex, sixteen. It had been over four years ago now. At that moment, neither he nor Alex was anywhere near the present time, despite the telling moans emitting from Felix's parched throat as Alex stroked him gently.

Aeons passed...

END CHAP


	6. I know you do it for pleasure

A/N: Yes, it's been a while, but I'm giving you a long chapter to sort of make up for it. 

I Know You Do It For Pleasure – chapter 6

Jenna brushed her hair. It was too long now, she mused to herself. She should get it cut sometime. Garet preferred it long, of course, but since when had Jenna paid much attention to Garet's wishes? Jenna suddenly felt a strange ache in her chest, a longing for her fiancé. She _had_ been treating him badly lately. It wasn't fair on him. It wasn't, after all, his fault that any of this had happened. She missed the days when the two of them would be sweet to each other. Anyone who knew Jenna well would deny there were any days of the sort, but Jenna knew better.

She sighed as she ran the brush through her long, fiery auburn hair one last time. She must get going. The others would be waiting for her downstairs.

--

"Ivan?" It was Mia, the blue-haired girl looking scared and sensitive. Her pretty eyes were wide as she approached the smaller boy.

"Mia?"

"Are you OK?"

Ivan raised his eyebrows. "I'm fine. What about you, Mia? You don't seem like yourself. Normally you'd be so cheery. You seem a little – upset, that's all."

Mia sniffed. "I think Isaac is...well, I.."

Ivan went the colour of a radish. "Isaac's – um, he's – what?"

"I just think he's been distant with me ever since I arrived. I've been spending most of my time so far with Sheba, who is lovely, but not my boyfriend."

Ivan laughed. "No, that's true enough. So what about Garet? He is Isaac's best friend, and you two are close. Why don't you ask him about it? Maybe Isaac's told him what's going on."

Mia nodded. "All right. I will do. So he hasn't said anything to you? Nothing at all?"

Ivan shook his head. "He hasn't, Mia. You know what Isaac's like, anyway. Never says anything that isn't strictly necessary."

Mia smiled. "Thank you, Ivan. You know, I think after Isaac, you're the one I've missed most since I went back to Imil."

Ivan blushed. "Really?"

"Yes. When the four of us were together, Garet and Isaac kept themselves to themselves a lot of the time, I'm sure you remember. I just miss the times you and I spent together. Especially before we met up with Felix, Sheba, Piers and Jenna."

Ivan was touched. The girl was so sensitive and caring, and he had missed her too. He felt guiltily for the precious few letters he had sent to her, over the past 8 months.

"Well, I'm probably just being stupid. I guess Isaac _is _distracted. By Felix."

Ivan nodded sympathetically. "I think we all are, Mia. I definitely wish he was home safe, instead of trapped with Alex somewhere. I can't believe Alex has done this."

Mia shook her head violently. "He's evil. Pure evil. I told that Kraden what would happen if he let him live. I don't understand it at all!"

"You know him better than any of us, Mia, maybe even Felix. Do you honestly think he would harm him?"

Mia looked on the verge of tears. "You know, sometimes, I think he would. The Alex I knew was always a little mysterious. He never showed any compassion for anyone or anything. All he cared about was himself. I never even realised until he left...after what he's done, I'd believe anything of him!"

Ivan nodded. "All the more reason to get Felix back as soon as possible. Maybe then Isaac'll get back to normal."

Mia scowled. "He is Jenna's brother, after all."

Mia turned away and walked towards Sheba, as Ivan attempted to decipher Mia's cryptic comment.

After another couple of minutes, Jenna reappeared in the room.

"Ready, everyone?" she asked brightly. The group exchanged apprehensive glances, but nodded all the same.

Jenna swallowed, a determined look in her eyes.

"Then let's go."

--

The seven Adepts bade farewell to Kraden as they exited Vale from the Southern entrance, by the newly rebuilt market square. With seven of them, they hoped the monsters they would have to battle as they made their way from Vale to Vault would present them with little difficulty. It was no more than an hour's walk between the two villages, but in the uncomfortable silence, it felt like a good deal longer.

Isaac noticed the lack of dense forest as they made their way. An awful lot of the woodland hat surrounded Vault had been cut down, a gift to the people of Vale to help them rebuild their homes.

Isaac suddenly recalled the first time he had ever left Vale. He had been sixteen years old. He and Garet had stepped outside the town and the first thing they had come across had been Flint, who had remained Isaac's most loyal and trusted Djinn ever since. He barely ever left Isaac's side, and had never been used by anyone else in battle, despite Isaac's protestations. Isaac considered the 

vital part his Djinn played in their battles, and was glad they were with him, just as he was glad to have Garet, Mia and Ivan once more battling alongside him.

Ivan was quiet too. He was thinking, as usual, about Isaac. The Venus adept had truly been even more solemn than usual. He wondered about what Mia had said to him earlier. He tried to shrug it off, and instead turned to focus on Sheba.

"_Sheba?" _he asked, using their Mind Read connection.

"_Huh? What's up, Ivan?"_

"_Nothing. I was just thinking about Mia and Isaac. Mia says Isaac's being weird. What do you think?"_

"_I think you think about Isaac way too much."_

"_Very funny. I mean, do you think he's being distant? Do you know why?"_

"_Nope. Sorry. If I did, I'd tell you."_

"_You don't think she knows about – you know..."_

"_No. Besides, that wouldn't have anything to do with him anyway, because he doesn't know, does he? Did you tell him?"_

Ivan sighed. Even his closest friend and fellow Jupiter adept was getting him nowhere.

Jenna was walking slightly behind the others, she and Garet talking. It was rare to see the two sharing such a moment, their hands intertwined, and she was attempting to make sure that no one did see.

"Well, anyway, what I meant to say was, I'm sorry."

Garet raised his eyebrows. "I – I wasn't sure that word was in your vocabulary, Jen."

Jenna scowled. "I wasn't sure _you _knew the word vocabulary!"

"Now, see, that's what I mean. All you ever do is put me down. It's bad enough your brother thinks I'm a gormless idiot. I don't need it from you, too."

"Well, I said I was sorry, but you just threw my apology back in my face!"

"I wouldn't have if I thought you meant it."

"You _are _an idiot, Garet! Of course I meant it, I would never have said it otherwise. And besides, I've told you time and time again, it doesn't matter to me what Felix thinks."

"Of course it does. You care about him more than anyone else."

Jenna gave him one of her patented "super-evil-glares-of-death". "I cannot believe you think I care about Felix more than you. What about all the times Felix insulted you, and I set him on fire? What about that time he and Ivan locked you in the attic, and I used Serpent Fume on him, even though Piers said if I hurt him he'd cut my hair off? Huh?"

Garet rolled his eyes. "OK. You enjoy setting people on fire. Thank you for that totally new piece of information!"

Garet had now gone too far. There was no wrath like the wrath of a pissed off Jenna.

"Oh, is that what you think?!" she cried, not bothering to keep her voice down, now that all of the others had turned to look at them anyway. "Well, then, let me see how _you _like it!!" With that, she prepared her psynergy for an all out Dragon Fume attack. Thankfully, Isaac rushed over to stop her.

"Jenna!" He grabbed the girl by the arms and pulled them down by her sides. His sparkling blue eyes stared down her dully burning brown ones. She stopped.

"Sorry, Isaac." She said softly. "I overreacted."

Garet growled. "Sorry, _Isaac!_ You have to be kidding!"

Garet stormed ahead of the rest of the group, heading straight towards Vault, which was now in sight.

--

Ten minutes later, the remaining six adepts strolled into Vault. They had all decided it would be for the best to keep their distance from Garet. Jenna, however, refused to speak to him at all.

"I apologised to him, and he acted like he didn't even notice. I'm not apologising again." She snapped at Sheba. "If he wants me to talk to him, he can come and find me himself."

Sheba shrugged. "Suit yourself. But the situation is this." She spoke up. "We need a place to stay. It must be nearly four o clock. We're certainly not carrying on to Lunpa now and the inn's not going to give us a room this late. Everyone's going to be asleep. It's not as if we can start interrogating people now. Besides, I'm sure you're all as tired as I am. So why don't we try to find some shelter, and we can carry on in the morning."

Jenna was still pouting, arms folded, refusing to speak. Isaac shrugged, exchanging glances with Ivan. Piers looked simply agitated.

"Hm. Do you really think we ought to stop? It's not as if anyone here is realistically going to have seen anything. What we ought to be doing is trying to follow them. If we stay here for the night we'll waste time that Felix doesn't have."

Mia piped up, looking concerned for Sheba, as the young girl looked practically dead on her feet. "We can't. Look at Sheba. Look at everyone. We need rest. How can we carry on looking if we're this tired? As it is, we'll only end up with four or five hours sleep. Please, Piers. It's hardly as if Alex and Felix can keep moving all night without getting tired. Teleporting saps a lot of strength, right, Ivan?"

Ivan nodded quickly.

"So there. We shall stay here for the rest of the night."

Piers allowed himself to give a wan smile. "Thanks, Mia." He nodded at his fellow Mercury adept. "Your ever-sensible arguments are going to be the death of me, I swear."

Mia nodded. "So it's decided."

The blue-haired girl put an arm around Sheba's shoulders, and guided her towards the inn.

"Let's just pray there's someone still – what was that?" Mia's head whipped around in the direction of the bushes behind the inn.

"What was what? I didn't hear anything, did you?" asked Piers hurriedly.

"I'm sure I heard something coming from those bushes."

Isaac placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. "It's probably just a stray dog. Don't worry."

Ivan and Sheba's eyes met across the darkness of the early morning. They were both having the same sinking feeling that Jupiter adepts got when something most definitively _not good _was going down.

--

Garet sat by the small stream that ran through Vault, over by the tall bell-tower. He glanced up at the bell, newly polished, which was now twinkling in the moonlight. He grinned as he remembered them ringing it and scaring the Venus djinn, Sap, out of the trees nearby. He grunted. Memories always seemed so much better when they were memories, and weren't happening now. He often wished he could go back to those times. OK, they were sometimes scary times, but he was doing what he loved, fighting with his Psynergy. Fighting alongside Isaac.

He sighed exasperatedly. Why was Jenna acting this way? OK, so she usually did act this way. But Garet couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt he had for brushing off her apology so lightly. He knew how difficult it was for the girl to apologize, but if she wasn't so stubborn in the first place!

For the first time ever, Garet wished Felix were here. He might be able to talk some sense into his sister. He was the only one who could, other than _Isaac, _Garet thought with a scowl. Why didn't his girlfriend take him seriously?

--

"Brigands!" hissed Jenna sharply. "Duck!"

She yanked at Sheba's hand and pulled herself and the girl out of sight. Isaac pulled Ivan close and down behind the bushes to make sure they were not seen. Piers sneaked behind the tavern to conceal himself. Mia followed him.

"As if we need this right now!" sighed Mia, placing a protective hand on Piers' shoulder.

"Oh Iris." Muttered Piers. "Look, they're sneaking sacks out of the back entrance of the inn. Probably full of gold or something."

Mia nodded. "Could be. What should we do?"

Piers shrugged. "What else can we do? Confront them, of course. It'll hardly be a difficult battle, even if we are down to six adepts."

Mia sighed. "But everyone's so tired. Sheba would hardly be able to affect a decent Shine Plasma at this hour of the morning."

Piers rolled his eyes. "Why are all of you giving up all of a sudden?"

Mia glared, something she rarely did. "Because we haven't slept in almost 24 hours!"

Piers sneaked back to the rest of the group, and grabbed the person he felt was most likely to be on board at the current moment, Jenna.

"Come on, Jen. Do you know how many times my ship was robbed by brigands? Do you know how annoying it is? These people don't deserve to be robbed. Let's do something about it."

"Fine. Sheba, get up." The small blonde girl was on her feet as Jenna told her. "Isaac, you too. Mia, stay here with Ivan."

Mia sat down beside Ivan, her deep eyes boring into his. Ivan sensed this was time for another "talk".

Unfortunately, they had, by this time, attracted the attention of the brigands.

"Hey! You kids! What do you think you're doing?"

Jenna rolled her eyes as the four adepts wandered sullenly out into attack formation. "Look. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. We're all tired and we'd like to kick all of your asses in less than 5 minutes. So you can either give up the stash now or experience what a Froth Spiral feels like. I have." She nodded towards Piers. "I tried to singe off my brother's precious hair and this guy socked it to me. It's not pleasant. I don't recommend it. So either - "

"Look, doll, are you going to quit talking? Not that I don't appreciate looking at your pretty face, but we have business to attend to. So why don't you just shut your trap and back off."

Jenna scowled. "Fine. I was rather hoping not to have to do this. Piers, take it away."

--

Garet awoke at around eight o clock. It took him a few moments to realize he had slept outside. He always had enjoyed those precious few minutes when one woke up in the morning and couldn't remember anything that had happened the previous day. But unfortunately, it often came back to you pretty quickly.

He groaned and rubbed his eyes, pushing himself off the dewy grass. His head ached and eyes stung, and his body felt limp. He was painfully aware that he had only had a few hours sleep. He wandered off towards the centre of Vault, not a particularly difficult trek, the village was much smaller than Vale had been. He wondered vaguely where his companions were.

"Hey stranger. Long time no see, eh?"

He turned his head to see a familiar face, one that he hadn't seen in almost two years.

"Marlena?"

The tall brunette nodded. Marlena Jerra was Garet's second cousin. She lived in Vault and until he and Isaac arrived on their very first journey, he had never met her. She was a tall girl, almost as tall as he was, and she had a tanned, weather-beaten face, not beautiful but just pretty, and full of character. She had freckles scattered across her nose, and a pleasant smile. She was a very nice girl and nothing more.

"Well, it's nice to see ya, Marlena." Said Garet softly. "It's been a while, all right."

She looked at him with hazel eyes that were slightly sad. "How have you been, Garet?"

He shrugged. "Good. Real good. I got engaged." He muttered.

She laughed. "Well, good for you! I was engaged, too, y'know."

"Yeah?"

She smiled, the same sad eyes piercing him. "Yes. He died."

Garet swallowed and felt an ache of pain for the girl. "Oh. How long ago?" he asked hoarsely.

She shrugged. "Just about a year gone, now, I reckon. He worked down at the old tavern. I miss him still, on occasion, y'know, but what's in the past is in the past."

"Don't say that, Marlena. You gotta remember people. It's as much as they deserve if they're good people."

She shrugged. "Maybe you're right. I guess it was all a bit too much for me to take! I mean, what with the house burning down, and all."

"Your house?"

"Yeah, we got attacked by a couple dressed funny, with funny lookin' skin. And a guy. Real good lookin', he was. Lots of lovely long blue hair. Beautiful face. Not the real handsome kind, not the kind all the ladies here would love. Not manly like you, Garet! Just beautiful, like a girl."

"And why would they do this?"

Marlena thought on this for a few moments. "I think – I think they was _looking _for something. That's all I can remember thinking at the time, anyhow. You know the strangest thing, though?"

"Yeah?"

"It was almost on a year ago, too, and I swear before Iris I saw the very same man here last night! I must have been mistaken, of course, but he looked so like him. The same blue hair, the same wildly beautiful face. He was with someone, though."

"Who? Who was he with?"

"Some other boy. Perhaps a bit younger than himself. Same sort of pretty face. Long brown hair, tied back. Had the saddest expression on his face, that boy did. But like I said, I must have been mistaken. I always swore if I saw hide or indeed hair of any of them three what burned down our house, I'd give 'em what for."

Garet paused. "I'm sorry, Marlena."

She grinned, a toothy grin, baring a surprisingly brilliant white set of teeth. "No problem, stranger. Say, we're still rebuilding the house. I was just out collecting the wood. Maybe you'd want to come and help us? Being that we're family, however distant. Maybe you might have some fun. Besides which," Marlena stepped closer to Garet, "we could sure use a big, strong man like you about to help lift heavy things." She smiled again, and Garet couldn't help but be reminded of how very pretty the girl was.

"I'm sorry, Marl, but I hardly – I mean, I - "

"Yeah?"

"I – sure. I'd love to help you out. Lead the way."

--

END CHAP

A/N: Uh Oh! Sorry about the intrusion of the OC (dammit I really hate them)but Marlena has served her purpose. I guess she'll be in the next chap but not for very long. I can hardly write it properly without the mindless info-giving OCs about, though.

A/N: It has been long, but I've realised I do actually enjoy writing this fic even though I am not playing the game ATM. So I won't give up on it. I plan for there to be some hot Alex/Felix in the next chapter. Well, it might not be hot, but it'll be there. So stay tuned!

Also, sorry if I misled you by saying this was a Piers/Felix story. It is. It will be. Eventually.


	7. Were you sent to destroy me?

A/N: I haven't really got much excuse for not updating in a while. Sorry!

A/N: I have Koopa Troopa earrings now. Just thought you'd like to know that.

**Were you sent to destroy me?**

"Come on, Garet! You can lift that!" laughed Marlena as she grinned at Garet struggling with a boulder.

"You try and lift it." He grumbled.

She smirked at him and strutted off towards her house. He rolled his eyes. Ivan _would _have to be in possession of the Lifting Gem at the most inconvenient time possible.

It was almost ten o clock. Garet was pleased to see that the building work was nearly complete on Marlena's house. He and Marlena were collecting materials for the work on the outhouse, as well as bringing firewood inside. Marlena's father had been pleased to see Garet again, and asked politely how his parents were. Garet told him about the rebuilding work on Vale, and even told him about the Felix situation. Marlena's father had been sympathetic, and had advised him to help out his friends. Garet just shrugged and continued to lift firewood.

--

Jenna awoke at just before ten thirty. Sheba, who had slept beside her, stirred as Jenna rubbed her eyes and dragged herself out of bed.

"C'mon, Sheebs. Get up. We have to...get Felix." Jenna mumbled somewhat incoherently.

Sheba made a move to get up, but failed epically and collapsed back into her pillow, mumbling "Felix who?" as she fell.

"Sheba! Come _on. _It's after ten."

"Is it?" Sheba said vaguely. "Oh well. Me tired. Me go back to sleepy now."

"You're hopeless, Sheba. I'll be back in five minutes. I'm gonna go wake the boys."

Jenna crept into the bedroom that Isaac and Ivan were staying in. There had, unfortunately, only been one-bed rooms available. Mia and Isaac had wanted to room together, but Jenna had forbidden it, stating plainly that that kind of thing could be very distracting. Of course, she hadn't noticed the uncharacteristically unpleasant glare that Mia had given her when she said this.

Ivan and Isaac had, too, expressed mild distaste at the idea of having to sleep in the same bed, but Jenna noticed Isaac was sleeping peacefully with his arms curled around a blissful-looking Ivan looking totally comfortable.

Jenna proceeded to poke Isaac as hard as she possibly could. It was more fun that way.

"Ow! What was that for, Jen?"

Jenna shrugged. "More fun."

Isaac narrowed his eyes. "You could have just said something. I'm a light sleeper, you know."

"Oh well."

Isaac crawled out of bed. "I forgot you weren't a morning person."

"I seem to be the only one here who is in any way a morning person. Sheba's buried under about three tons of bedding, you've got the grumps, and Ivan hasn't even moved."

Isaac laughed. "You know, Mia's even worse. I can't count the amount of times she's clobbered me over the head when I've woken her up before she was ready. You'd think I'd woken up next to you."

"Ha! You wish, Isaac."

The two were met with an uncomfortable silence that was only broken by a loud yawn coming from the bed and the sight of Ivan poking his head out in just the cutest way possible from the bedcovers.

"Damn, Ivan, do you have to look so impossibly cute even at half eight in the morning?" pouted Jenna. "Some of us don't have the luxury of being so naturally sweet."

"Well, you could at least make the effort." Grinned Isaac, prompting Jenna to throw a remonstratory, er, pillow at his blond, ruffled head.

"Come on, Jen. Lighten up." Said Ivan.

Jenna and Isaac both stared at him bewildered. "What d'you mean?"

"Nothing, it's just you've been really grumpy whole trip. More than usual, I mean. OK, I know you're really worried about Felix, and of course you feel guilty about Piers, and then there's your confused feelings about Garet."

"What do you mean by that?" snarled Jenna.

"Nothing bad! I mean, you love him and all, but you don't know whether to go to find him or not, right? If you should just swallow your pride and go get him?"

Jenna narrowed her violet eyes. "How'd you know all that?" she asked suspiciously.

"Hello? Jupiter adept here."

"Please refrain from reading my mind, you little sneak."

Ivan grinned. "And then there's Sheba."

"Sheba?"

"You're confused about how you feel about the fact that she's been spending so much time with Mia. You want her to be happy, but she's _your _best friend."

"OK, Uncle Ivan, what's your advice?"

"You'll be Sheba's closest friend – always. Apart from me, of course!"

"Yeah right." Said Jenna and Isaac simultaneously.

"But she needs something else from Mia."

"Something I can't give her?"

"I know you don't like Mia, but - "

"What? I like Mia!"

"No you don't. You think she spends too much time with Isaac and that she's the reason he spends so much time away from you, and Garet, and me, and Felix."

Jenna blushed. "That's not true, Ivan. I do like Mia. I like her a lot. How could she not be close to you three? You guys spent all that time together trying to rescue us. Why do we all have to have such unnecessarily complex relationships?"

"Because we're us, Jenna. Simple as that. My advice? Let Sheba spend as much time with Mia as she wants. Deal with your Garet issues first."

Jenna slapped her palm against her forehead. How did she let this kid get away with reading her mind?

Ivan grinned. "I won't read your mind again. Promise!"

"That's such a lie, you little...!"

A pillow fight ensues.

--

"_Ohhh...Alex!"_

_Felix moaned softly as Alex ran his hands over Felix's porcelain torso, teasing him gently._ _Felix's erratic breath ghosted Alex's fair skin as Felix's nails scraped against his back._

_Alex increased the speed of his movements, panting on top of Felix, their sweaty bodies pulsing together as Alex gripped the sheets as tightly as he could, clenching his eyes shut and biting his lip to keep from screaming Felix's name._

"_Oh Iris! Felix!" Too late. _

_Felix arched his back, his soft skin still clinging to the sheets dampened with sweat, his chest pressing into Alex's, anything to increase the sweet friction between their bodies. _

"_Mmmhh...Ah!"_

_They both knew it was close now, just a few more minutes, just..yes..harder.._

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGHHHHH!!"

Piers woke with such a start Mia practically fell out of bed.

"Piers! What's the matter? You were screaming. And...flailing about and things."

Piers shook his head, as if the images that were now burned into the back of his retina would somehow fall out of his head if he shook it hard enough.

"Nothing. It was just...a bad dream."

"Come here." Mia put her arms protectively around Piers, stroking his hair.

Comforting Piers was somehow easier than comforting anybody else, possibly because he shared her love of water and Mia couldn't help but feel the natural bond that water adepts so often shared, so much more frequently than any other kind. All the other adepts had it, of course, but there were often obstacles. Fire adepts could be very close, but they were so passionate arguments often ensued. Garet and Jenna were the perfect example of a couple of this nature. Earth adepts were often too stolid and quiet to form close personal relationships with other Earths. Hence Felix and Isaac, who were old friends, but the sort who could happily sit in each other's company without speaking a word. Sheba and Ivan did this a lot too, but Mia had learned that they were communicating through the power of Mind Read, rather than actually being quiet.

"Mia?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you and I don't know each other that well, but seriously...do you think Felix has really run off with Alex?"

Mia didn't know what to say. She knew Alex was evil, but in all honesty, she also thought it extremely likely that Felix had run away with Alex of his own accord. But she couldn't say that to Piers. He would be too hurt.

"Of course not. Alex kidnapped him."

"Do you really think so?"

Mia hesitated. "Of course." She repeated lamely.

"Well...OK. I trust your opinion of Alex, at any rate."

"Good. He's a dreadful person."

"How far away do you they think are by now?"

"Not too far, hopefully. There are no Teleport Pads in any town near here, they only started building them in this part of Angara a couple of months ago. It'll probably take them at least a week or so to get to the nearest one. Although, admittedly, I have no idea where it is, Ivan will know though."

Piers sniffed. "OK. Just so long as we find them before they get to one. Once they're reached the Sea Of Time cave we're screwed."

"Well, there's no point being pessimistic about the situation." Said Mia firmly, with the controlled calmness many years of being a leading Healer had given her. "We'll probably find them. And we'll never get anywhere if we mope about. We need to get up and get together with Jenna and the others."

Piers nodded. "Right."

--

Twenty minutes later, the six of them convened once more in the lobby at inn, preparing to leave after a good night's sleep.

"We can probably get to Imil by nightfall if we get on with it." Declared Jenna in her authoritative tone. "We'll need to check Lunpa first. It's think it's perfectly obvious Alex and Felix aren't here, but I want to ask around before we leave. Just in case anyone saw them last night."

Everyone nodded mutely. They were a sorry party indeed. Piers still looked exceptionally glum, Isaac and Ivan looked as if they had barely slept a wink, Sheba was quite literally lying on the floor with her eyes closed, Mia brushing her short blonde hair out of her eyes. Even Jenna's famous will and determination was wearing a little thin at this point.

She sighed. "All right. Let's go."

The other five slowly dragged themselves after Jenna, who was heading outside already.

"Oh, yeah, we need to find Garet. Forgot about that. Sheba, you wanna go with me?"

"Sure."

"It's settled then. Sheba and I will find Garet. The rest of you, ask around. If anyone's seen Alex or Felix, you know. I mean, they've probably left by now, but..." Jenna trailed off.

It was agreed. Isaac and Mia would take everywhere north of the river, and Ivan and Piers would cover south. Sheba and Jenna would find Garet, which, for their part, did not take them long. They located Garet outside Marlena's nearly complete house, idly chatting with his second cousin.

"Garet? What are you doing?"

Garet looked around. "Jenna! Oh, I was just talking to Marlena. You remember my fiancé, Jenna?"

Marlena grinned toothily. "Sure, I remember her. I ain't seen her since we were about ten years old, though!" she laughed. "I remember her being the girl what set your hair on fire, anyhow."

Jenna could not have been giving Marlena a colder glare if her eyes were made of ice.

"You remember Marl, right, Jen?"

"No." Replied Jenna curtly. "I can't say I do."

"Oh."

"Well, whatever. We're going, Garet. Lunpa. Now."

Garet paused. "No."

If looks could have killed...

"Excuse me?" asked Jenna in her most dangerous voice.

"I'm staying here, Jen. Marlena and her family need me. You don't. You don't want me there."

Jenna scowled. "Look, Garet, we both said some stupid things, mainly you, but that's no reason to - "

"Look, Jen, I said I wasn't going. If you find Felix let me know. I'll see you back in Vale."

"You'll...see me back in Vale?"

"Yep. I'm gonna stay, and help Marl finish construction work on her house. Here, I'll give you the Orb of Force, and you don't need me."

"You do realise we could be gone months." Said Jenna, her voice beginning to crack.

"Yeah. But maybe we need some time apart. You'll be fine. The six of you can more than handle Alex."

"Fine. _Fine. _Do whatever you want. See if I care."

And with that, Jenna, stormed off, the look on her face as black as thunder.

Sheba shook her head. "Bad move, Garet."

END CHAPTER

A/N: ARGH, FINALLY


	8. What can I do? Where can I hide?

A/N: Check out how soon I updated...I need a medal of some kind.

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Don't ask me why.

A/N: There's a large section in this chapter about Teleport Lapises (I've decided that's the plural of Lapis). I realise my ideas don't totally adhere to canon here, but I find it bizarre that there would be so many Teleport Pads and only one Lapis...also, screw canon, it's a yaoi fic!

**What can I do? Where can I hide for safety?**

"Oh, yeah, that reminds, me, Ivan. There was something I wanted to ask you."

"Sure thing, Mia."

The six adepts that had remained on the quest, Jenna, Isaac, Ivan, Piers, Sheba and Mia, had departed from Vault a couple of hours previously, and were making their way through the Goma Range. Jenna wanted them to reach Bilibin by the afternoon, but at the moment it was looking unlikely.

Their search of Vault had been fruitless. Sheba had tried to calm Jenna down but Jenna had barely spoken a word since Garet had told her he was staying, which was extremely uncharacteristic of her. In fact, she was at this moment walking several feet ahead of everyone else, refusing to talk to anyone.

Isaac and Mia had not had much better luck. They had not run into anyone who could tell them anything relevant. And the awkward silence that had passed between the two as they walked around Vault was not, they both suspected, a promising start to their future together.

Only Ivan and Piers had been successful, as they had run into Garet shortly after Jenna had departed his company. Garet had subsequently remembered his conversation with Marlena concerning Felix and Alex's unexpected appearance in Vault the previous night, and passed the information on to Ivan and Piers. Piers, of course, had jumped into a kind of frenzy upon hearing this, and had run off to locate Jenna. Leaving Garet alone with Ivan.

"So...Ivan. How's things?"

"How's things? You're not gonna tease me about my height, or hair, or anything like that?" asked Ivan suspiciously.

Garet shook his head. "Grown out of it." He muttered.

Ivan raised his eyebrows.

"Don't worry, I haven't got any ulterior motive. Besides, you'd know if I had, right?"

Ivan shrugged.

"Look...Ivan. I know you and I haven't got a lot in common, and we haven't always seen eye to eye about everything, but let me ask you a serious question."

"Go on."

"Do you think there's anything going on between Isaac and Jen?"

"Garet! How can you even ask that?"

"Are you serious? You don't see the way he looks at her?"

"He doesn't look at her any way, Garet. They're old friends. You know those two better than anyone. You know that you and Jenna are meant for each other. Surely?"

"I don't know anymore. Jenna used to be crazy about him when we were little. Me and Isaac would fight over who got to marry Jenna when we were kids. I – I always loved her. I think."

Ivan sighed. "Trust me on this. Jenna loves no one but you. And Isaac is most definitely NOT in love with Jenna. He found Mia, didn't he?"

Garet shrugged. "OK. I believe you, Ivan. Look...tell her I'm sorry, would you?"

"If you're sorry, why aren't you coming with us?"

"Did I say I wasn't?"

"Hello – Jupiter adept!"

"Oh, right. Well, I'm not. I was right the first time, Jenna and I really need time alone. I think if I'm there on this quest-thing, it'll just screw our relationship up, and we'll never end up getting married. This is something she needs to do alone."

"You know what, Garet? You're right. You have grown up. I'll tell Jenna, OK?"

"Thanks, Ivan. Oh, and one more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Mia is not stupid."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just try to keep your weirdo crush on Isaac on the down low, 'kay?"

_How the hell did he know?!_

_--_

"Well, I'm pretty sure the one in Kalay is still under construction. And I'm almost certain they're planning on building one in Bilibin, but it's nowhere near ready yet. Kolima and Xian are totally out of it, neither town has anywhere near enough residents. But the one in Imil is opening soon. So people can come to the Lighthouse, you know?"

Piers fumed. "This is ridiculous! So they'll just give out a Teleport Lapis to whoever wants one, will they?"

"Of course not. But there are several Lapises in circulation at the moment, and probably more to come. I read about a speech the mayor of Lalivero gave at the beginning of the month on the subject. At the moment only 4 Lapises exist, one of them having been stolen by Alex, of course. He says his dream is that sometime in the distant future, teleporting will be the most common method of transportation. They even want to develop it for use by non-adepts."

Piers snorted. "That's not even possible. You can't use a Teleport Lapis without Psynergy. Everyone knows that."

Mia looked thoughtful. "This is all really interesting, Ivan. Obviously I've never really had any experience with the Lapis, but I always thought there was only one. I mean, there's only one Orb of Force and Lifting Gem and Cloak Ball and all that sort of thing, isn't there?"

Ivan nodded. "Technically, any really powerful adept could imbue an ordinary object with that sort of power if they really wanted to, so long as they could use it themselves, but most think it's pointless. Teleport Lapises, however, are different. The ancients would use them all the time to get around. This was back in the times when most people could use Psynergy of one form or another. It's sad, but adepts have been dying out for hundreds of years. Scholars think that thousands of years ago, there would have been hundreds of Lapises, but most have never been found. And of course, as we know, most Teleport Pads were completely hidden until recently. It's thanks to, well, us, really, that they've been uncovered."

Only Mia, at this point, had noticed the slightly sad, wistful expression on Sheba's face. Sheba, being young and full of vitality, rarely if ever looked wistful.

"Are you OK, Sheba?"

Piers shook his head. "Of course. It must have been difficult to hear about Faran."

Ivan realised what he had said and put a comforting arm around his girlfriend.

"Sorry, Sheba. I didn't think."

Most of the party had effectively forgotten that the mayor of Lalivero, Faran, had essentially raised Sheba as if she were his own daughter. It had been so long since Sheba had seen her adoptive father, and she almost never mentioned his name, meaning her friends sometimes didn't realise how much she missed him.

"It's fine. Really, I'm not sad. Although, you know, it would be nice to see him again. Maybe we could stop off in Lalivero? I mean, if we haven't found Felix by then, of course."

Mia looked at the girl pityingly. She herself had lost her parents many years ago, and to see them again, even for just a day, would be worth travelling to the other end of the earth for.

"Why don't we go anyway?" she piped up. "Even if we have found Felix by then, we can still go! Sheba hasn't seen Faran for nearly two years. I'd make the trip, if you want me to, Sheba."

Sheba blushed. "That-that would be lovely, Mia."

Ivan wondered why he wasn't more concerned about the fact that Sheba didn't bother to ask him, even though technically they were going out.

Isaac had been silent for the majority of the trip from Vault thus far. This was no big deal, Isaac had been known to be silent for hours on end. Much like Felix. Isaac was, in fact, thinking about Felix at this very moment. He never had been much of an optimist, and he was considering what would happen if and when they discovered that either Felix had run away of his own accord, or they found they didn't have enough power to save him.

Things would certainly be different in Vale. Technically, of course, Felix did not live in Vale, he lived with Piers in Kalay, but he visited frequently enough, and of course, his parents, and sister both resided there, so Vale would always be considered his home. Isaac realised with a jolt that even if by some miracle Felix was saved and returned to live with them, he might well be moving to Madra at a moment's notice, to fight crime and the like.

Piers would probably be the most adversely affected, thought Isaac. Even the stoic Isaac and the rather dense Garet had been perfectly aware that Piers had strong feelings for Felix, and vice versa. This was what made it difficult for Isaac to imagine that Felix had run away with Alex of his own accord. That, and the fact the Felix rarely did anything so spontaneous. But if he had done, what then? Would the party fight tooth and nail to bring him back, as they would if it turned out he had been kidnapped? Would everyone, and not just Piers, put their own desire to have Felix back home above Felix's own feelings? Isaac knew perfectly well that if Felix said that he and Alex were happy together, Isaac himself would point blank refuse to do anything to try and bring him back against his wishes. He simply felt that if a person had the chance of happiness, even if it went against what others wanted, and even if someone's feelings were hurt, that person deserved to take that chance.

Of course, Isaac could not bring himself to admit that he felt this way because he often wished that he could have his own chance at happiness...

Isaac would miss Felix, though. Occasionally, on a lazy summer evening, when the sun was low in the sky, and the cool, refreshing breeze from the northern sea blew through Vale, and the crickets chirped as if they were _yelling _at you that it was a nostalgic summer evening, Felix and Isaac would meet by the stream in eastern Vale. They would simply sit, in complete silence, watching Armoured Rats fight across the stream, while baby Poison Toads tried to catch flies. There was nothing in their friendship other than a sense of mutual understanding that can only be found between two heroes, two leaders. They didn't have to say anything. They were both Earth adepts, they needed this, to spend time on the grass, with the earth itself. No one could understand this about Felix, other than Isaac. Just as Felix could never understand Piers' need to be by the sea, or Mia's love of the cold of her hometown.

Jenna, of course, would miss her brother intensely. Because Jenna, despite the tough front she put up, was the sort of person who felt things deeply. She wasn't in touch with her emotions in the same way a water adept like Mia was, but she was passionate and hot-tempered. She was the sort of person who _would _fight tooth and nail to get her brother back. And yet Isaac felt something strange from Jenna, something a little lacklustre in her desire to return Felix safely to his hometown. Isaac was no Wind adept, but he strongly suspected that both Jenna and Sheba still very much believed that no matter what Felix felt about Piers, he was madly in love with Alex. Jenna tried to appear strong for Piers' sake, but Isaac knew. He knew that she had given up inside. Although her fervour appeared to have only increased since Garet's controversial decision to remain in Vault until their quest was over.

Isaac wasn't particularly happy about that, either, although of course he managed to conceal it. Garet was one of their strongest fighters. The Stellar Axe was a powerful weapon, and only Garet could realistically wield it. Isaac ran a hand protectively over his own sword, Tisiphone's Edge. And of course, this was all in addition to the fact that Garet was Isaac's best friend. Isaac had never fought without Garet by his side. And in 2 years, Isaac would be Garet's best man at his wedding to Jenna. This was always how it was meant to be. Isaac was perfectly well aware that Garet was angry with him because he thought something was going on between him and Jenna. OK, this wasn't true. Isaac was very intelligent and shrewd normally, but he hadn't had a clue until Ivan had told him. For the simple reason that Isaac had never had feelings for Jenna apart from the feelings of a best friend. Really, he thought of her as sister. And he knew that Jenna felt the exact same about him. The only person that didn't appear to get that was Garet. He really was dumb sometimes.

Isaac was pretty much savvy about most of the complications that occurred in the lives and relationships of his seven friends, due to the fact the he and Ivan, who had always been good friends, had, over the last year, become inexplicably close. Ivan always promised not to read Isaac's mind, but Isaac knew he did it anyway. It didn't bother him any. He suspected Ivan would know how he felt anyway. Ivan was, as most Jupiter adepts were, an extremely precocious young man, as well as being an especially astute observer. It made no difference. The worst had already happened...

END CHAPTER

A/N: Apologies for that cryptic last paragraph, but most of you probably understand what I'm getting at anyway.

A/N: I hope I'm not the only one who really likes the pairing of Garet and Jenna. I always imagined they would end up together in the canon, but they didn't, or at least it never says that they did. For some reason, to me, the idea of them not being together is just wrong. They're like Ron and Hermione. Or Han Solo and Princess Leia. Or Kyo and Tohru. The perfect couple!

For Jodie: Sorry I keep interchanging my words to describe adepts, you probs don't have a clue what I'm on about. For reference:

Jupiter wind Ivan/Sheba.

Mars fire Garet/Jenna

Venus earth Felix/Isaac

Mercury water Piers/Mia (actually Alex is one too).

Most of this chapter probably makes precious little sense. The stellar axe is a weapon, the most powerful axe you can get. Tisiphone's Edge is the best sword in the game, you can only get it from Cruel Dragons, and even if you kill it with a Mars djinn, your chance is barely 1 percent...needless to say, I never got it, still bitter, none of the cheats I found worked.

Oh, and by the way, I just realised most of this chapter is essentially Isaac introspection!! Oh well. I love Isaac. So there.


	9. Look, I'm still breathing

A/N: First, I would like to apologize for the short chapter. It is short because I am going to university tomorrow and I didn't have the chance to finish it. But the next one should hopefully be out within the next couple of weeks, although fresher's week festivities may take some sort of priority...damn irl stuff sucks...

Also. This may be obvious, but this chapter is a flashback sequence. Felix is fifteen and Alex sixteen. It takes place about three or four weeks after Felix was rescued. Also, I do know that Alex met Saturos and Menardi after they saved Felix, but I'm slightly altering canon facts here, so they already know him.

**Look, I'm still breathing**

"_Oh, yeah. That's Alex. He's about your age, er, I think."_

"_Saturos. You're beyond useless. He's a year older than you, Felix." Menardi snapped._

_Felix did not quite know what to think. He was utterly bemused by the sixteen year old individual that stood before him. _

_He certainly looked effeminate enough. He had very long, sky blue hair, that fell down his back in carefree waves, and his skin was pale, like porcelain. He had fluttery eyelashes that he was at this very moment, batting in a bored fashion, pouting at Felix. His arms were folded and his clear gray eyes were narrowed at Felix suspiciously. _

"_Um. Hello. I'm Felix."_

_Alex looked extremely disinterested. "I could care less about your name, child."_

_Felix was dismayed. "I – I'm sorry?"_

"_For what?"_

"_I – just wasn't expecting - "_

"_Then tell me. Tell me what you wanted to hear."_

_Felix was flabbergasted. He had never met anybody he disliked so much within the first five seconds of meeting them before. Did Alex hate him? What on earth could his problem be?_

_Menardi rolled her eyes and tossed her thick blonde hair in Saturos' direction before grabbing Alex's arm and dragging him away._

"_Don't mind him, Felix. He's always like this."_

"_Who-who _is _he?" asked Felix meekly._

"_Alex is our ally. He, too, desires the lighting of the four lighthouses. He may be young, but he is capable. We keep him by our side for the most part, and have done since he abandoned his hometown of Imil one year ago. We met him in Prox where he was looking to travel to the lighthouse. We talked a little, and discovered that our goals were the same. We having been working together ever since. We trained him to improve his strength. It has not done him much good." Said Menardi, half-joking. "He is still just like a woman. You and he will get on very well." She smiled at Felix. _

"_I doubt that." Said Felix. "He doesn't like me."_

"_He will." Replied Menardi calmly. "You have intelligence. Alex appreciates this quality already. You see how he stares at you?"_

_Alex stamped his foot indignantly. "I am right here, you know!"_

_Menardi shrugged. "So you are."_

"_Who is he?" snapped Alex._

"_Like I have already explained to you, Alex, Felix is going to help us. For both his own good and ours. Surely you understand that in order to gain entry into the Venus lighthouse we will need him?"_

_Alex scowled. "Surely there are other Venus adepts. Look how weak he is."_

"_That's not actually true." Piped up Saturos, who had been standing quietly, tending to his most recent battle wounds. "He can do a Ragnarok already, show him, Felix."_

"_No!" exclaimed Felix. "I – I can't. It'll just sap my strength."_

_Alex simply shrugged at him, and wandered off in the direction of the nearest river. _

"_He is like that." Said Menardi. "He needs to be near water. Go after him, Saturos."_

_Saturos scowled. "You do it, I did it last time."_

_Menardi folded her arms and gave Saturos the most evil glare she possibly could. Saturos cowered under her gaze._

"_All right, all right, I'll go. No need to be so mean about it..."_

"_No!" said Felix. "I – I'll go. If you want me to. I mean, I can. I – should get to know him. Alone. I mean, not alone ,but - " Felix broke off, realizing he was blushing intensely._

_Menardi grinned. "OK. Sure. The new boy can go. Just try to still be alive when you come back, 'kay, Felix?"_

_Felix nodded, scurrying off. Menardi reminded him of his sister and that was not a good thing. Potentially violent women were scary..._

_He found Alex sitting by the river. Recalling with a start the way he and Isaac used to do the exact same thing, Felix sat down beside him._

"_Hello, Felix."_

"_Hi, Alex."_

"_Are you here to bring me back?"_

"_No. Well, I'm supposed to be. But I thought you might need some time. Or maybe some company?"_

"_So you know why I like the river?"_

"_Because you are a Mercury adept, is that right?"_

"_Correct. I dislike it here very much. It is too warm. I come from Imil, which has perennially frozen ground and a stream which, too, is ice for most of the year. Xian is unpleasantly warm."_

_For at that moment the adepts were in Xian, Saturos and Menardi having spent several weeks in Vault with Felix and subsequently arranged to meet Alex in Xian. Alex had been in Lalivero at the time, and agreed to Xian as an appropriate mid point. They were planning on training in Tolbi and the surrounding areas for a few more months, and then testing Felix's acquired skills by having him compete in Colosso, a fact that at this moment, Felix was blissfully unaware of. _

"_Right. I'm from Vale. I've never met a Mercury adept before. This is the furthest away from home I've ever been."_

_Alex smirked. "A Valean? Menardi was right, you will come in handy. I can see now why you were chosen. You are, in all probability, one of the more powerful Venus adepts alive today. Or, at least, you have the potential to be." He added, upon registering the shocked expression on Felix's face. _

_Felix shook his head. "I don't think so. Saturos and Menardi saved my life. This is my way of repaying them."_

_Alex had to restrain a laugh at this. "Child, do you know why Saturos and Menardi were in your insignificant little village on that fateful day all those weeks ago?"_

_Felix frowned. "I have a name."_

"_I'm sorry?"_

"_Felix. Call me Felix. I am not a child, I'm fifteen, and I am not that much younger than you."_

_Alex raised his eyebrows. "OK. Felix."_

_Felix was getting irritated. "So, are you going to enlighten me?"_

_Alex shook his head. "I don't want to disenchant you. Yet."_

_And with that, he stood up and walked back to Saturos and Menardi, who were subtly hiding in the bushes, listening to the stilted conversation. _

_--_

END CHAPTER

Next one soon. I hope. Reviews are nice .


	10. Bilibin

A/N: My sincerest apologies. University life takes its toll on one's fanfiction commitments. I'm in a writing mood, however, and have every intention of writing another chapter now.

A/N: I've given up on the stupid chapter titles.

CHAPTER TEN: A short exploration into the relationship between two precocious young Jupiter adepts, and a dream.

Chapter Ten - Bilibin

"Well, come on, then! If we can make it today, we should at least try!"

The mood of the team had not improved much. Jenna was still pissed off, Isaac was still sulky, Mia was still jealous (as was Ivan) and Piers had barely said a word since they had left Vault, an extremely uncharacteristic trait for the normally talkative adept.

They had finally arrived in Bilibin after a gruelling couple of hours through the Goma Range. Alchemy being restored to the world had frankly not done much to quell the relentless stream of monsters they encountered on their travels, and they had arrived in Bilibin tired, grouchy and for the most part unwilling to do any sort of interrogation of the villagers (who had, of course, welcomed them back with open arms, recognising Isaac, Ivan and Mia). A nice rest stop in the inn was in order, and was well appreciated.

They gathered around the fire in the large room being shared by Jenna, Sheba and Ivan, and, finally mellowed by the fine mead served downstairs, began to properly converse for the first time in what felt like months.

"Ha! Isaac couldn't read a mind even if he was a Jupiter adept. Empathy's not exactly - "

"Hey! I resent that!" said Isaac, all the while laughing merrily at Ivan's inference that he was insensitive.

"I'm just saying, is all. Mind Read is a tough skill to master even if you are gifted with Jupiter psynergy."

Jenna raised an eyebrow. "You and Sheba seem to have it down pat."

"We get a lot of practice." They replied simultaneously.

Jenna, being unable to think of a witty retort that wouldn't result in her being on the receiving end of a Spark Plasma, merely stuck her tongue out at Ivan, who she was liking more and more the more she got to know him. She had decided she highly approved of her best friend's choice in boyfriend.

"Well I'd like to see any of you douse or freeze anything." scoffed Mia.

"I can do it!" remarked Ivan indignantly. "If I have a Douse Drop on me...."

"OK, guys. We've established that we'd all be useless at each other's skills. Let's talk about something else!"

"Sheba does raise a good point, this has been going on for a good fifteen minutes." Remarked Piers. "Jenna, got a date set yet?"

Jenna shrugged. It was a good thing she was ever so slightly tipsy else she probably would have resented any mention of Garet.

"Not sorted out yet. We both want a summer wedding."

"You mean like May or June? That would be so cute!" exclaimed Sheba. "Vale roses are at their finest in mid-June, and I could get a nice breeze going for you, and - "

"No. A _summer _wedding. As in, we want it in early August."

Mia frowned. "Doesn't Vale get awfully hot around then?"

Jenna laughed. "That's what Garet and I were hoping for. We're not too fond of the cold, unsurprisingly."

"Fair enough." Responded Sheba. "And speaking about weddings...Isaac, when are you going to pop the question?"

"Huh?" Isaac was pulled out of his comfortable, warm stupor and into the realm of the decidedly uncomfortable and unpleasant.

Sheba giggled. "Come on, you two have been dating since, what, the Venus Lighthouse? Don't tell me you haven't thought about it!"

Isaac was silent. _Say something,_ he chided himself. _For Iris' sake, Isaac, say something. Mia's looking at her hands. She's going red? She's – she's thought about this?! Oh no. No no no. Ungood. Oh gods, Ivan. I'm sorry, Ivan, _he desperately thought, willing his words to get through Ivan's brain, willing him to be reading his mind at that moment, for the first time ever.

"Um."

"Um? What kind of answer is that?" giggled Sheba.

_Sheba. _Ivan began to talk to his girlfriend through their Mind Read connection.

_Huh?_

_Sheba, I don't think anyone is very comfortable with this conversation. Mia's gone all red and look at Isaac! Even Jenna doesn't look happy._

_And neither do you. _Sheba had become quite proficient in sending her boyfriend thoughts in as cold a tone as possible.

_I don't – I mean, I'm not unhappy. It's just that – _

_It's that I'm making Isaac uncomfortable, and that's making YOU uncomfortable. Is that it, Ivan?_

_Sheba, I – _

_No. No more. I can't take it anymore, Ivan. I wish I couldn't read your mind sometimes. I really do._

Sheba briskly shut off the connection and snapped back to a very confused reality.

The other members of the group had learned to recognise the times when Sheba and Ivan were "talking" to each other and subtly ignore it. Their conversation had progressed to other sundry matters, but they stopped when a rather upset-looking Sheba swiftly walked out of the room.

"Ivan? What's going on?" asked Isaac.

"Nothing. Not much. I don't know. I should...go after her." Mumbled Ivan, as he stepped out of the room to follow Sheba.

He left a slightly awkward silence in his wake.

"Does anyone know what's going on between those two?" asked Piers.

Jenna shook her head. "They're so secretive. It's weird. Sheba tells me almost everything but she never talks about her relationship with Ivan. Believe me, I've tried, but I can't get a thing out of her."

Piers smirked. "Well, I suppose it is nice to see a couple that doesn't air their every problem to the world."

"If that was a sly dig at me, Piers, you will sorely regret it." Jenna scowled.

-----------------------------------

"Sheba? Are you OK?" asked Ivan tentatively as he put his arms around the small blonde girl and pulled her in close.

"Ivan. Why did we decide to stay together?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be so stupid. That night. Why did we decide to stay together? I really don't know. I can't see it anymore."

Ivan swallowed. He had been preparing for a conversation like this since they left Vale. And he knew Sheba knew it.

"We...we stayed together because it's what we both want. And what everyone else wants for us. Isn't it?"

"Yeah. This is really what I want. Sure."

"Sheba - "

"We love each other. But we're not _in _love with each other. Are we?"

"Well, in the conventional sense of the word, no, I suppose not, but - "

"Then shouldn't that be enough reason for us to be just friends?"

"You're one of the cleverest girls on Weyard, Sheba, don't pretend you don't understand it's more complicated than that. There are certain – expectations."

"Expectations?" asked Sheba, turning to face Ivan.

"I never did tell you about the prophecy, did I?"

"What prophecy?"

Ivan sighed. "Hama told me, essentially, that you and I were destined to bear a child that would grow up to be the most powerful Jupiter adept to ever live."

"So you feel it's your responsibility to uphold that prophecy? If it was meant to be, it will be. You know that."

"But I need you in my life as more than just a friend. I'm not strong enough to deal with it on my own. And I DO love you."

Sheba nodded. "You're right. I'm being stupid. Nothing's changed. Neither of us can have what we want. It's not fair on anyone else. We'll just stay together. We do love each other, and you are my best friend, and I suppose it probably makes sense for us to spend the rest of our lives together. I just think everything about our lives, all eight of us, would be made so much easier if romantic feelings just didn't exist. I guess I just imagined ending up with someone I love in the way that Jenna and Garet love each other."

Ivan buried his face in Sheba's soft hair and squeezed her tighter. "Me too." He mumbled.

-----------------------------------

Sheba and Ivan did not return to their room. It was not until almost midnight that Jenna and the others discovered them fast asleep in Isaac's bed, arms wrapped around each other. Now, being that there were three beds per room this time, Jenna and Piers commandeered the remaining two beds in the room and left Isaac and Mia to share the other room alone.

"If that doesn't raise any objections, of course." Murmured Mia.

Jenna shook her head. "Nope. We'll be here probably until tomorrow afternoon anyway, trying to gather information. Might as well enjoy the small amount of time we have _to _enjoy."

Mia smiled warmly at the girl. It certainly would be nice to finally have some alone time with Isaac.

They stumbled into bed at just after midnight, so tired their eyes snapped shut as soon as their heads hit the pillows. It was, after all, going to be a long day tomorrow.

---------------------------------------

_He walked down a long, winding, sandy road. His feet hurt so much, but he was finally here. He slipped his shoes off and ran along the beach, feeling the glorious, cooling water slip between his toes. He carefully avoided splintered areas as he boarded the ship and made his way to the secret place, a tiny hidden cabin below decks._

"_Piers? Are you in here?" he whispered._

"_Felix? Is that you?"_

"_Of course it's me, stupid Lemurian. Who else knows about this place?"_

_Piers smiled and led Felix over to the seating area, where on the floor was a clear glass pane, allowing sight of the fish and sea monsters below. _

"_What did you want to ask me about, Piers?"_

"_When are you going to ask me out?"_

"_Ask you – I'm sorry, what?"_

"_Felix. We're meant for each other. You know it. I know it. Even Jenna knows it."_

"_Let's not bring Jenna into this."_

"_No. Let's kiss instead."_

"_Let's wha –mmmmph"_

_No explanation needed._

_Felix pulled back, lips still tingling, only to see – _

"_Alex! Were you and Piers always the same person?"_

"_Whatever do you mean, dear Felix?"_

"_This is not good. Really really - "_

"_Would you stop whining, Felix!" He had been cut off by a Merman from below. A Merman with...the face of his sister._

"_Jenna! Since when were you a Merman?"_

"_Don't ask me, man, it's your dream. Look. I think it's time you grew a pair of balls and told someone how you feel, ya get me?"_

"_Dreaming?"_

"Oh dear Iris!" Felix exclaimed as he sat up sharp in bed, running a sweaty hand through his hair. "That was a freaky dream."

"Urgh. Felix, save it for the morning, dear." Grumbled Alex from beside him.

"Great. _You're _not a bad dream."

"Alas, no, Fe, dear. Now lie down and sleep. We have a lot of travelling to do in the morning, and you need to keep your strength up."

"Fine."

--------------------------------------------

END CHAPTER

A/N: Not a particularly long chapter, I know, but inspiration has struck, somewhat, and the next one should be along presently.


	11. The One Where They're Up All Night

A/N: Super Special Awesome long chapter, guys! Check it! Hells yeah.

CHAPTER ELEVEN: A night of semi- interesting occurrences.

Chapter Eleven – The One Where They're Up All Night

"Crap. I forgot to brush my teeth." Jenna mumbled, and she staggered out of bed at just after one o clock, realising finally why it was she could not sleep.

"You what?" Piers groaned from his bed, tossing over.

"Forgot to brush my teeth!" hissed Jenna. "Can't go to bed without it."

"Oh yeah. Forgot about that." Said Piers. "I knew you were as freaky and OCD as I am, deep down."

"Shut up. Have you seen my toothbrush? I'm sure I put it in this mug, and it's not here now."

"No, I haven't seen your toothbrush. Are you sure you left it in there?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" snapped Jenna.

"Keep it down a bit, Jen, you'll wake the kids."

"Did _you _do something with it?" hissed Jenna.

"No. I did not _do _anything with it. It is wherever you left it."

"This is not funny. Get up and help me look for it."

"In the dark?" Piers raised an eyebrow. "All right. This might be a piece of fun. I can't sleep anyways."

------------------------------

"So. I don't suppose you know what's going on between Sheba and Ivan?" Mia asked casually, as she removed her dressing gown and climbed into bed.

"Nope." Replied Isaac.

"Oh. I just though, you know, since you and Ivan are so close, he might have mentioned something to you."

"Nope."

"Oh. Well, I'm a little worried. I haven't seen Sheba that upset in a while. I certainly hope she's OK."

"She hasn't said anything to you? I thought the two of you were getting closer?"

Mia reddened a little in the dim light. "No. If she hasn't even said anything to Jenna, she certainly wouldn't say anything to me. "

"Fair enough. I mean, you know how Jenna can be sometimes. A little hard to handle. It seems more likely to me that Sheba would confide personal problems in someone who was understanding, and caring, and sweet. Like you."

"That's...nice of you to say, but I'm not at all sure it's – what was that?"

"What was what?"

"THAT."

"Oh. It sounds like footsteps. It's probably just Jenna up and about, or Piers lurking in one of his midnight angst sessions."

"I didn't hear the door go."

"Well, there are other people staying here. It's probably nothing."

-------------------------------------------

"Maybe Sheba and Ivan are lying on it."

"I highly doubt it, Piers. I'm not disturbing them, at any rate. Let's go downstairs and try and find it, maybe it fell out of my bag at reception."

"OK, OK. Let's go."

They crept downstairs, being careful not to creak any of the stairs, all the while unaware of the man in the shadows, standing behind the banister, watching them descend.

"OK. Let's look in this room."

"Sure." Muttered Piers, getting down on his hands and knees to search for the elusive toothbrush.

"Hey, Piers."

"Yeah?"

"Do we have a plan?"

"I assumed you had a plan, you usually seem to." He replied.

"Not really. Um, what do we do in the, er, very unlikely event that Felix says he ran away of his own accord?"

Piers was a silent for a few seconds. "I don't know. Not much we can do."

"So you're willing to just give up?"

Piers sighed. "I just want Felix to be happy, Jenna. And if he says he's happy with Alex, then I'm OK with that."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, OK, I'm not exactly _OK _with it, but I'm willing to deal with it."

"And what if he has been kidnapped?"

"We fight, of course. There's six of us, that's more than enough to take on one pathetic Mercury adept. It's not like he's more powerful than me!"

Jenna laughed. "You wish. He's probably the most powerful adept I've ever seen. He might be stronger than Felix. Only, I think me and Felix might just be the only ones left alive who know how powerful he really is."

"That's a little scary."

Jenna nodded in agreement. "Alex is a little scary. I'm so glad Mia didn't end up with that creep."

"Huh?"

"Surely you knew that Mia and Alex used to date."

"Used to date? Aren't they members of the same clan?"

"Come on, they're like third cousins twice removed or something. I think the implication is they used to date. Or wanted to, at the very least."

"Poor Mia."

"I know, right? Well, at least she's with Isaac."

"And you're OK with that?"

Jenna frowned. "And why would I not be?"

"I just thought, you know, you and Isaac have a history - "

"No, actually, we don't. I had a small crush on him when I was about ten. That's about it."

"OK, I believe you. So you really love Garet?"

"I'm not talking about this. Unless you want me to sear you to a crisp with a Cycle Beam. Why don't you tell me how long you've been all in love with my brother?" Jenna gave an involuntary shudder at this point.

"Oh, since the time you guys saw me in the prison in Madra."

"So...the first time you laid eyes on him, essentially."

"Essentially, yes."

"Well, isn't that romantic."

"Shut it."

------------------------------------------

"I'm telling you, I heard a noise."

Isaac wanted to cry. He hadn't had a good night's sleep in what felt like weeks. He had been hoping and praying that now he was allowed to sleep next to his considerate girlfriend and not an insane insomniac pyromaniac, he would get more than 5 hours. Apparently not.

"Mia. Please, please, please can we go to sleep?"

"Isaac, I'm scared."

"Do you want me to go check?"

Mia nodded.

Isaac heaved himself out of bed, stumbled over to the door and yanked it open.

"Argh!"

"Isaac!" screamed Mia. "What happened?"

She rushed over to Isaac, who had been struck on the head with an unidentified blunt object, the assailant now nowhere to be found.

"Isaac, Isaac!" Mia shook him by the shoulders, desperately willing him to wake.

The boy was motionless. He had been knocked out cold by the mysterious intruder.

--------------------------------

"This useless. Do you want to go check the kitchen?"

"Why would it be in there?" pouted Jenna.

"They keep lost and found in there, right?"

"Oh yeah! I forgot about that! You're a genius, Piers."

Piers smirked. "Well. I try."

Jenna halted in her tracks as she made her way to the door. "What was that sound?"

"I...don't know. It sounded like a thump or something. Like someone fell down, maybe?"

"Do you think we should go back up and check?"

"It's probably nothing to do with us. Everyone else is asleep, right?"

"Right. Sure. Oh my - !" Jenna, instinctively, grabbed Piers' arm as she saw a shadow flutter by just outside the door. "You saw that, right?"

"I saw it. Just be careful, Jenna, we don't want to end up Serpent Fume-ing an innocent member of staff. Just casually follow whoever it is."

"They're heading upstairs."

"Just let them go. It's almost certainly nothing."

"Sure."

-----------------------------------------

"Sheba! Let me in!" hissed Mia as she pounded on the door of the other room.

After a few moments, a groggy-looking Sheba unbolted and opened the door to a terrified Mia.

"Mia? What's going on? Are you crying?"

"Isaac's been attacked. I can't get him to wake, even with Ply. I think there's someone here..."

"Hold on. Attacked? I'm confused. How attacked? Psynergy?"

Mia sniffed. "No. He was hit on the head. He's unconscious in our bedroom."

"Wait, what? What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know, but I imagine I'll need your help. Is everyone else asleep?"

Sheba flicked on the light switch. The room was entirely empty apart from their two selves.

"Where are they all?"

"I really don't know."

----------------------------------------

Ivan had been wandering around Bilibin for a good twenty minutes. He was well aware that walking around in the middle of the night on his own wasn't terribly clever, but he wasn't feeling like himself. He reached the town square, and sat down in front of the statue, burying his face in his hands and sighing. This trip was just not going well.

"And to think, I was worried I'd never see you again, dear Ivan."

Ivan's head snapped up. The voice was female, it was coming from a figure looming menacingly above him, draped in a long green velvet cape, the hood shrouded over her head, with only a few auburn curls visible, trailing down her chest.

"Who-who are you?"

"You don't recognise me?" the woman pulled back her hood to reveal her stunning face and raised a finely shaped eyebrow, her red lips pouting.

"_Layana?"_

"In the flesh. I bet you'd forgotten all about me."

Ivan's face lit up and he scrambled to his feet to pull the taller woman into a tight embrace. "Forgotten about you? I could never forget you, Layana!"

"And I haven't forgotten you, either, dear Ivan. Though it has been a while. And how have you been?"

"I've been...great. Just great. I have a girlfriend now, and we're living in Vault, and - "

"Girlfriend? I fail to understand you, Ivan."

Ivan's face fell. "What d'you mean?"

"I was sure you were quite enamoured with somebody else the last time I saw you. Isaac is his name, is it not?"

Ivan turned the colour of a radish and buried his face in his hands once more. "That's not going to work out, Layana."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why not? He certainly seemed to feel the same way about you, too. At least, that's what my intuition told me. I know it's not quite as good as being able to mind read."

"He's seeing someone, too. A girl – you've met her before, I think. Maybe."

"The pretty blue haired girl? The tall one who heals?"

"Yes, that's her. Mia is her name. She's one of my closest friends. I missed her like crazy when she was in Imil."

"An Imilian? Steer clear of Imilians, Ivan." Layana expressed her distaste once more with her famous pout.

"Why?"

"Imilians are strange. Particularly those of the Mercury Clan. Did you know, Ivan, that the Mercury Clan went to war more than four times with the Jupiter Clan, back in the heyday of alchemy, four hundred years ago?"

Ivan couldn't help but grin. "Of course I knew that, Layana. I was educated by the best, after all."

Layana gave a carefree smile back to him. "I'm glad you remember, Ivan. It pleases me that you still think of Hammet and I, even after you have been reunited with your real family, and started to create family of your own."

"You and Hammet _are _my real family. I never saw Hama until a year ago."

She smiled. "Then you should visit more often. Kalay gets lonely and boring very quickly. The bright spots in my days are usually running into Felix and Piers at the quay. Oh, that reminds me, did Felix and his friend get back OK?"

Ivan's heart stopped. "Get back?"

"Yes, with the Lapis. I ran into them here yesterday evening. Now, it wasn't Piers who was with Felix, it was someone else. If only I could recall his name..."

"Alex?"

"That's it! Yes, they had just been to Tolbi, they said, to pick up a Lapis and have it transported back to Vale. Felix does that sort of work reasonably often. At any rate, they headed out early in the morning. Perhaps you missed them, if you had already left."

"Layana, this is really important. Did they say anything else to you? Anything at all?"

"Oh, I couldn't say. I don't think so. They seemed in a rush. I was up early to watch the sunrise with Hammet, you know how he loves them. At any rate, I ran into Felix and this Alex. I asked them what they were doing and Alex explained that it was just delivery work, but that they had to be off, as they were wanted back in Vale by the next morning. That's all. They didn't stay to chat."

"Thanks, Layana. That's really helpful."

"All right." She said briskly. "I certainly won't pretend to understand what's going on around here, but I suppose a "don't ask, don't tell" policy might be best for all concerned."

"I'm sorry, but I can't say. I think I should be getting back to the inn. Sheba might have noticed I'm gone."

"Sheba?"

"My girlfriend."

"Oh. I see."

"I know that look. Layana, she's not someone I'm just with for the sake of it. She's not like ordinary girls. She's clever, and interesting, and fun. And she could kick my ass any day of the week with her Spark Plasma."

"She is the one that fell from the sky, and was adopted by Faran of Lalivero?"

"Yeah, that's her. How'd you know?"

"Hammet keeps me well informed. Faran misses her, so I'm told."

Ivan hung his head. "We'll see him soon. Sheba and Mia are going to visit Lalivero together if we don't end up there anyway. I'll probably end up going too."

"I see."

"So...not to be rude or anything, but why are you and Hammet here in the first place?"

"You're sharp, Ivan. We aren't here on vacation. Hammet heard a rumour that there was some trouble in Vault a couple of nights ago. An inn was ransacked. There was a fight. Several brigands were found unconscious. One was seen heading out Goma way early this morning. Hammet was worried about Lord and Lady McCoy's safety. So we packed up and came down. In the cart, it only took a couple of hours. We arrived early in the morning. This would be your doing, wouldn't it?"

Ivan shook his head. "I mean, well, yes, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. If they're just brigands..."

"I'm sure you can all handle it. Now, you said you had to be getting on."

Ivan nodded. "It's pretty late. I should head back to the inn."

"Goodbye, Ivan. And remember your promise to come and see us."

"I will." Ivan waved her goodbye as he ran off towards the inn, leaving Layana to pull her hood back up and skulk off in the other direction.

-----------------------------------

"They're coming towards the door." Whispered Piers. "Get ready."

"I was born ready." Quipped Jenna, pulling out her Phaeton Blade.

Mia and Sheba, meanwhile, were steadily creeping towards the kitchen, where they had heard voices.

"They must be in there, I can here whispering." Said Sheba under her breath.

"There's more than one of them?" Mia hissed.

"Obviously. Get your mace out."

"Yes." Mia complied without raising any objections. She was very proficient in battle, but was still more of a healer than a fighter.

Jenna and Piers looked at each other. "I can hear voices." Whispered Jenna. "Ready?"

"Yep."

Sheba and Mia looked at each other. "Ready?"

"Yep."

"3-2-1-!"

"Argh! You guys!"

"Mia! Sheba! What are you two doing up?"

"Isaac's been knocked out cold by some brigand or other." Explained Sheba. "We came down to investigate."

Jenna rolled her eyes. "Isaac's useless. Where is he now?"

"I put him on my bed." Mia said quietly. "I'm sorry, it's my fault. I heard noises, and asked Isaac to take a look. Whoever it was must have thought we were attacking."

Piers looked at Jenna significantly. "We were right about one thing, Jen. We weren't imagining those noises we heard. There is someone else here."

"That's right." Said a sinister voice from behind. "There is. And pretty soon there'll be four less of you."

The robber was unimpressive. His greasy hair hung languidly on his weak rounded shoulders, and his posture was slumping. He was carrying a large, clunky sword that none but Garet, and possibly Felix, given his armory experience, would have been able to identify. He did not, frankly, look like he would be a difficult enemy for the four adepts to take on.

But appearances can be deceiving.

----------------------------

The fight had been going on for almost ten minutes, and Sheba was already flagging. Mia cast Healing Aura while Jenna and Piers vainly barraged the brigand with Pyroclasms and Deluges. To no avail, unfortunately. A well timed Quake Sphere from the brigand, who was unusually adept at using Venus-type psynergy, and Sheba fell to the ground, her eyes lifeless.

"Damn it!" screamed Jenna. "Just what we fucking need right now. Piers, you got any water?"

Piers rummaged for Water of Life, but couldn't find any. "Sorry, Jen."

"Shit. I can't use Revive – Echo's in recovery!"

"It's all right, I've got Spark!" yelled Mia from across the room, where she was attempting to tend to the downed Sheba.

Jenna cursed and turned back to the brigand. "This is not over. Supernova!"

"Argh! My hair is on fire!"

Jenna cackled with laughter. ""Well, that's what you get when you piss me off. Piers, cool the poor guy down."

"Sure thing. Froth Spiral!....Um, Froth Spiral! What's – oh, no."

"What's up?"

"Out of psynergy."

"No! So am I!"

Mia shook her head. "I used up half mine trying to get Isaac to wake up."

The brigand laughed. "Out of options, are we? Well, I'm not quite done. Mother Ga - "

"Tempest!" cried a familiar voice as a small blur of purple, green and blond rushed into the room.

"Wha - ?" The brigand did not have time for any more words after this.

"Yeah, Ivan! Nice one, man!" Piers clapped Ivan rather hard on the back as Ivan grimaced and nodded his head in appreciation.

"Thank you, Ivan. That was wonderful timing." Smiled Mia, still cradling Sheba in her arms.

"Yeah, um, where the hell have you been?" interjected Jenna. "And, uh, thanks, of course." She hastily put in, quailing under Piers' reproachful gaze.

Ivan shrugged. "Just...out."

"Out?"

"I felt like a walk. I wasn't intending to stay out so long, but I ran into Lady Layana. Don't ask me what she was doing out at this time of night."

"Hammet's wife?"

"Yeah. She told me she and Hammet are here to protect Lord and Lady McCoy from brigands."

Jenna raised a cynical eyebrow.

"Yeah." Nodded Ivan. "I didn't buy it, either. They're old friends, and everything, but still."

"Well, why didn't you read her mind?"

Ivan looked ashamed. "I didn't think of it. I've never done that to Layana before. It would feel weird."

"Damn it, Ivan." Jenna's nerves were still slightly wrought from the tough battle.

"Although, she did tell me something useful – one of the brigands we beat in Vault was seen heading this way."

"You think this is our guy?"

Ivan nodded. "Looks that way to me. I think when our friend wakes up he'll have a few questions to answer about why he and his cronies have been following us about all over Angara."

"Well, you've had a productive night." Said Piers. "I just wish that any of this stuff was helping us find Felix."

Ivan gasped. "I almost forgot! Layana saw Felix and Alex here yesterday!"

"What?!?" was the resounding cry from the other three.

"Let me explain. Layana was up early to watch the sunrise with Hammet, or so she says. She ran into Felix and Alex on their way out of town. They told her, or rather, Alex told her, that they were doing delivery work, taking a Teleport Lapis to Vale. To be honest, I'm surprised Layana didn't smell a rat right then, she ought to know there's no Teleport Pad in Vale. But whatever – that's the story they gave her. That they're on their way back to Vale."

"Vale it is then!" exclaimed Piers.

Jenna rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid. It's obviously a bluff. Do you think they would have told a single soul, especially someone so close to Ivan, where they were headed? They were probably counting on us running into Layana here, and assuming she would tell us they were going back to Vale. After all, there's nothing to refute their story – they didn't instruct her to tell us this, at least."

Ivan nodded. "That makes sense. So if they're not going to Vale, where are they going?"

Jenna thought. "Well, they obviously haven't been to Imil yet, there's no way in hell they would have had time. So, there, I'm guessing."

Mia sighed. "So, I suppose we're heading to Imil tomorrow morning, right?"

Jenna nodded. "Not much else we can do. We're one step behind them every time. When they get to Imil, they're cornered. It's in the northernmost corner of Angara – they have to come back the way they came."

Piers grinned. "I didn't think of that. So, Imil. This'll be a new and fun experience."

"Hey, I forgot you'd never been before!"

"I'm the only one, right?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"Urgh." Growled a voice from across the room. The brigand was stirring. Jenna drew her sword and made her way over.

"Mia." She instructed. "Take Sheba upstairs. You too, Ivan, you can help carry her. Try to heal her and stay with her. I'll be up in fifteen to try Revive again. Me and Piers are gonna see what we can get out of this scumbag."

Mia nodded, and she and Ivan carefully lifted Sheba's inert body and carried her up the stairs.

Jenna stood menacingly over the brigand, who now looked nothing short of terrified.

"Now. Tell me who sent you here and why."

"P-Puelle."

"_Puelle?"_

_----------------------------------------_

END CHAPTER

A/N: Sort of cliffie, ish. Probably more so if you know who Puelle is, but as I probably should have stated, there will be spoilers for both games throughout.


	12. Imil At Last

A/N: Another reasonably long chapter. Also, I hate to ask for reviews, but they really are an excellent motivating tool. I mean that completely sincerely, it's not a threat or anything. I will be continuing on with the next chapter over the next few days, but it would be lovely to receive some feedback as I didn't for the last two chapters. Thank you!

12: In which our adepts learn the truth behind their mysterious attackers, and progress at last to Imil, where another unpleasant surprise awaits them.

Chapter 12 – Imil at last

"Puelle sent you here? Are you serious?"

The brigand nodded, still glancing nervously at Jenna's Phaeton Blade.

"Why would he do that? We saved his pathetic little town!"

The brigand cut in here. "Puelle heard about you all leaving Vale. He thinks you've changed your minds and are going to try and destroy the lighthouses!"

Jenna gaped at him. "Is he slow? Why the hell would we want to do that? Alchemy's been restored to the world, the world survives! Seems like a pretty good deal to me!"

"Puelle doesn't seem to think so. After all, four of you were trying to stop my friends on their quest."

"Friends?" asked Jenna, bemused.

"He must mean Saturos and Menardi. And Karst, and Agatio." Explained Piers.

The robber nodded. "Puelle can't see why else you would all leave on such a quest together."

Jenna fumed. "It's none of his business!"

"The safety of the Proxian community is very much his business."

"So he sent you to kill us, is that it?"

"No! Not kill you, exactly. Just weaken you enough so that we could take your necessary items without fuss. Orb of Force, Hover Jade, etcetera."

"This is a farce." Snapped Jenna, pacing about angrily. "Get back to Prox, tell Puelle we're not doing any such thing, that it's none of his Iris-damned business what we do when we leave our hometown, and then sit yourself down and ask yourself why you give a damn about Puelle when you're not even Proxian!"

The brigand shrugged. "The cash, of course."

Jenna rolled her eyes. "Of course. Now, get out of here, before I change my mind and Serpent Fume you to within an inch of your life."

The brigand flinched, and ran out as fast as he could.

Jenna sighed. "Well, that was a waste of time. We would be getting on so much faster if we didn't have to deal with all these morons! If any more people whose lives we saved come to try and kill us, I'm gonna get really pissed off!"

Piers sighed and put a comforting arm around Jenna. "Come on, Jen. It's another story to tell the grandkids, right?"

Jenna narrowed her eyes. "When did you get so optimistic?"

Piers shrugged. "Come on, this was kinda funny, you have to admit."

Jenna scowled. "Maybe I'll see the funny side after a good 8 hours of sleep."

"Come on, grumpy-guts. Off to bed we go."

"Who the hell are you and what have you done with Piers?"

----------------------------------------------

It was getting on for three am when Piers' head finally hit the pillow. He could hear Jenna snoring beside him, her toothbrush long forgotten about.

Piers' eyes started to droop. His breathing became more even. Sleep finally overtook him, while in the next room Mia and Ivan tended to their respective fallen lovers.

"Ivan. You know what's really strange?"

"Hm?"

"Alex can teleport. I mean, he can warp. He's the only person I've ever met that could warp. Or levitate, for that matter. Why does he need a Lapis if he can warp?"

Ivan shook his head. "He can't. Kraden bound his psynergy on the proviso that he be allowed to live and help Kraden with his research. Of course, now that he's out of Kraden's protective custody, he'll be rapidly regaining his powers, but it'll be weeks before he's able to warp again, it's his most rare and powerful skill, really. By my calculation, three weeks and four days."

"By your calculation?"

"Theory of psynergy and classes is one of the most interesting things I research these days. It's precise work, and if I'm going to be a scholar of Kraden's level, I need to master this sort of thing."

"Why didn't you tell us he'd be able to do that by that time?"

"Not much point. If we still haven't caught them by them, he won't even need to be able to warp, he'll be holed up in the Sea of Time cave. To be honest, I was sort of hoping this whole thing would be over by then, but it seems like everything's coming at us at once."

Mia smiled softly. "I know what you mean. It's crazy about Puelle, isn't it?"

"He certainly could have gone about his investigations in a more subtle way. But I can understand where he's coming from – if even one of the lighthouses is destroyed Prox'll be the first town to go. I can't blame him for being a little paranoid. Especially when it comes to us."

"I suppose we can't have been his favourite people for a while. It was us that-that killed Saturos and Menardi, and put Felix and Jenna in danger."

"We made a mistake, it's not the end of the world." Ivan grinned.

"That was not funny." Said Mia, smiling back.

"So what do you say? Bed? We can't stay up all night babysitting these two."

"Do you remember when Isaac and Garet used to tire themselves out so much battling monsters that the two of us used to stay up trying to heal them?"

"Yeah. Those were good days."

"They were."

"Well, I, for one, need some shut-eye. I'm gonna sleep next to Sheba, and hopefully she'll wake in the morning."

Mia nodded. "I'll stay by Isaac."

Ivan nodded, a wistful look adorning his face as Mia lay down next to Isaac and wrapped her arms around him.

-----------------------------------

It was almost midday by the time the perpetually-cranky Jenna opened her eyes. She surveyed the room. Only Piers was there, busily brushing his long hair.

"Piers...where's everyone else?"

"Awake at last, Jen? Ivan and Sheba are out interrogating the neighbours, and by that, I mean reading everyone's mind without their knowledge. Mia's tending to Isaac. He was hit pretty hard. He's lucky he doesn't have concussion."

"But he's awake?"

"Oh yes, he's awake. Has been for a couple of hours. Mia's healed him as best she can, and all his physical wounds are gone. He'll be back to rights by the end of the day, I would have thought."

"Has anyone explained to him what happened last night?"

"I did. We were there, so I figured we knew better than Mia the situation. He agrees that we need to head out as soon as possible, but he thinks that Kalay is their more likely destination."

"Why Kalay?" asked Jenna.

"The docks. They probably want to get to Tolbi as soon as possible, being that at the moment it's the only city in Angara with a functioning Teleport pad."

Jenna shook her head. "It doesn't make any sense. Kalay Bridge was fixed years ago. If they wanted to get to Kalay, they could have done so in less than a day, straight from Vale. They wouldn't have bothered coming to Vault, let alone going through the mountains to get here. There's only one reason they would have stopped off in Bilibin, and that is to get to Imil. Unless you're telling me they're planning on trekking through the forest, Altin, Xian and that awful desert just for the hell of it."

"You're right. They must be going to Imil."

"But why? Alex isn't an idiot. He must know they'll be cornered as soon as they get there."

"They must have some reason for going there. I expect we'll find out what it is when we get there."

Jenna nodded. "Well, whatever it is, Isaac's right, we need to get out of here as soon as we can. We've already wasted enough time as it is. If Alex and Felix left here yesterday morning, they'll have arrived in Imil by last night, and they'll probably be long gone by now."

"Maybe we need to start thinking one step ahead of them. Where will they go after they've been to Imil?"

Jenna gasped. "Oh Iris, I forgot! Mercury Lighthouse!"

Piers nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Whatever their business is in Imil, it probably has something to do with Mercury Lighthouse."

"Mia's not going to be pleased."

"Mia's never pleased these days. She's more sensitive than I previously thought. I think this quest is taking its toll on her a little bit."

Jenna shrugged. "I like Mia, but I can't be sympathetic. I've lost my brother and my fiancé, you've lost your boyfriend...sort of. We're handling it better than anyone."

"Are we, though?" asked Piers softly.

---------------------------------------

"Right! Gather round, troops!" Jenna was once again stood in the authoritative pose she knew so well, while her companions sat on the various beds in the room.

"The plan of attack is this: Piers and I have come to the logical conclusion that Alex has taken Felix to Imil. With the consent of our illustrious leader, of course" – Jenna nodded to Isaac, who weakly nodded in return – "we are heading to Imil in fifteen minutes, with the aim to arrive by nightfall. Piers and I will take command on this one, as Isaac is injured, with Mia and Ivan as our backup. Isaac and Sheba will be alternates should we run into anything unpleasant. Is that OK with everyone?"

Everyone knew that arguing at this point would be futile, and so nodded their heads.

"Good. Gather your things, we're meeting in the downstairs lobby in ten minutes."

Sheba and Jenna stayed behind in their room, while Piers, Mia and Isaac went to retrieve their things and Ivan tagged along.

"I'm sorry I flaked out on you guys last night." Mumbled Sheba.

"What the hell? Don't worry about it, it happens to all of us. He was really strong on the earth side, you're a Jupiter adept. You know you were more at risk than the rest of us."

"Yeah, I guess. This quest just...sucks."

Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Things with Ivan pretty much biting the dust?"

Sheba nodded. "There's no point, Jen. Whatever we do, we're screwed. I just don't feel like there's anyone I can talk to about it except Ivan."

"You can still talk to me. We're still friends, right? Or was that just me?"

Sheba nodded. "Of course! Best friends! How long have we known each other? Two, two and a half years? I would _never _stop being your best friend, Jen."

"Then talk to me. I know I'm not the most empathetic person at the best of times, but I still care. I'll still listen."

Sheba nodded gratefully. "Maybe another time. We need to get going."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's head out."

-------------------------------------

The trek through Bilibin cave was about as uneventful as it could get. They barely ran into ten monsters, and they were, thankfully, well out of the cave before nightfall.

The sun was just setting when Imil came into sight, the town looking as beautiful as ever shrouded in its perpetual snowfall, the tops of the buildings a brilliant bluish hue in stark contrast to the orange sunset.

They approached it cautiously, all subconsciously sensing Mia's slight nervousness.

"Mia! Mia!" cried a young voice. It was that of a familiar-looking young girl with turquoise hair. She was taller than they remembered her, and looked to be now about thirteen or fourteen years of age. It was Megan, one of the last remaining members of Mia's clan. She was running from Imil towards the party, looking most distraught.

"Mia! Help!"

"What's wrong, Megan?"

"Alex is here. I told the mayor but she wouldn't believe me!"

Mia's blood ran cold. She had been anticipating this moment since they left Vale. There was a reason that she had rarely visited Vale before she and Isaac decided to move in together, and that reason was Alex. She knew he was in Kraden's basement, locked away from all the world, but that had never been enough. The fact that he was there made her skin crawl. Whenever she thought of him, with his cold, steely eyes, his effeminate, stylised mannerisms, his autocratic, Machiavellian tendencies, his manipulative words, his hair that was thick and silky and yet somehow soft and lighter than air, his cold, pale lips...she could hardly hold back the tears. Mia thought she hated Alex more than anyone else in the world, and yet whenever she thought about him loving Felix so much he was willing to break out of Kraden's and travel halfway across the world for him...she hated Felix even more.

"Alex? Where?"

Megan sniffed. "The lighthouse. He saw me and I asked how come he was back all of a sudden, and was he here to see you, and he got all annoyed and told me to mind my own business. He's a bad guy, isn't he?"

Mia nodded. "The worst. I'd forgotten how young you were when Isaac first came here. You would have been even smaller when Alex left. I'm not surprised you don't remember."

Megan shook her head. "I wish he hadn't come back. Things have been going really well. I'm training as a Healer!"

Mia smiled warmly. "Really? That's so wonderful, Megan. And what about Justin?"

Megan blushed. "Justin's going to be a really powerful Mercury adept, just like you and Alex!"

"Is that so? Well, I'd love to talk more to the two of you, but I think we need to talk about Alex. Why is he at the lighthouse?"

Megan's face once again became wracked with distraught. "I don't know! I'm the only person that saw him. You know what Cal's like."

Mia did. Callista May was the newly appointed mayor of Imil, the first female mayor of the town and the daughter of the recently deceased previous mayor, Lord Alistair May. To say that she was unready for the position would be an understatement. While a reasonably powerful Mercury adept, she was a mass of contradictory traits, and a most unsuitable governor. She was scatty and easily flustered, while at the same time bossy and resentful. Her memory for utterly useless facts would have put Ivan to shame, and yet she could barely remember to eat lunch some days, let alone attend important meetings. She also spent a good amount of time attempting to hone her poor but at least existent powers of prophecy – her grandmother had been proficient in Jupiter arts and Callista believed strongly that if she could hone the art of predicting the future she would become the saviour of a town wilting under plague.

"I want to speak to Cal." Said Mia in an authoritative tone that did not suit her. "If she knows Alex is here, she'll let us go up the lighthouse."

"What in Iris' name d'you wanna do that for?" asked Megan, folding her arms. "You're the keeper of the lighthouse, not Cal! You can go up it whenever you like."

Mia, despite her gentleness, knew how to politic. Callista was secretly resentful of the Mercury Clan and probably would not take kindly to anyone entering the lighthouse without her prior permission, despite the fact that the lighthouses, by law, did not belong to any cities or states. In addition, Mia had always suspected Callista of being slightly ill-disposed towards her. Whether it was jealousy or the fact that Callista was easily irritated by what she perceived as meek people such as Mia, she did not know. Cal was remarkably like a fifteen year-old a large proportion of the time, which was concerning seeing as she had recently turned twenty-eight.

"Megan. I want you to go home or go to Justin's house. Don't leave until I come and say it's safe, OK?"

Megan shook her head vehemently. "No! I want to go with you! So will Justin! It's only fair!"

"Absolutely not. It's most unsafe. You're staying here." Said Mia firmly.

"No! The lighthouse belongs to us too! Justin and I are members of the clan. We want to help. What if they destroy it?"

"Megan, please. Alex is a far more powerful adept than you realise. You could well be killed."

Megan frowned. "I'm not a kid anymore, Mia! I can help. I can do all sorts. I can do Ply Well! And Douse, and Frost, and - "

"Megan, stop this. I'm not putting the lives of you and Justin, two of the people I care about most, in danger. I believe that you can do it. But it's not worth the risk, to me. Please just stay here. I know you could help, but I don't want you to. We're going to be in danger, I know that. You don't have to be. Stay here and be ready to defend Imil if anything happens. Is that OK?"

Megan sighed, still clearly perturbed, but agreed. "I'm going back to see Justin." She said shortly, and ran back into Imil.

The group quickly followed her into the small town, heading for the house of the current mayor.

Mia knocked, and waited a moment or two before knocking again.

"All right, all right, I'm coming - "

The door flew open. Behind the threshold was a short woman with very long, untidy royal blue hair who did not quite look her twenty-eight years. She wore a button-down blue jacket and trousers, and was currently barefoot. She had a mass of crumpled papers in one hand, and what Mia recognised as an old Frost Wand in the other. Her inquisitive blue eyes were obscured behind large owlish glasses, and her lips were decorated with inexpertly applied red lipstick.

"Mia? What are you doing here?" she asked in a surprisingly low voice. "I thought you were moving to Vale."

"Can we come in, Cal?"

The mayor eyed the party suspiciously, but eventually nodded, and conceded the doorway. "So what brings you and your friends to Imil?"

"It's serious, Cal. Alex is in Mercury lighthouse. I'd like your permission to enter and follow him."

Callista scoffed. "Alex wouldn't come back here. There's nothing for him here since you left." She said, a touch bitterly. "Besides, the last I hear, he was under the protective custody of the scholar Kraden."

"I don't have time for this, Cal!" Mia exclaimed sharply. "Alex has escaped. He has taken our friend Felix hostage and he is at this moment, climbing Mercury lighthouse, although why, I couldn't tell you."

Callista narrowed her eyes. "You're really serious about this?"

"For the last time, yes!" None of the party had ever heard Mia speak so forcefully. The tension was palpable.

"He must be after the Lapis."

Not for the first time that day, Mia's heart sank like a stone. "The – the what?"

"Surely you know? Today's the grand opening of the Imil Teleport Pad!"

END CHAPTER

A/N: I'm not totally satisfied with ending it there, but I'm about to carry on anyway, and it was getting a bit long. Another few days for the next chap, hopefully.

Another A/N: I hope people aren't getting too mad at me for OCs. I'm trying as hard as I can to make them realistic characters, but it's very difficult. It doesn't bother me all that much if people dislike them, I'd rather they had dislikeable personalities than were oh-so-perfect. But again, I feel that there aren't enough NPCs in Golden Sun to make the plot of this story function well, so I'm afraid OCs must be brought in briefly to serve as plot devices.

Final!A/N: I have an apology to make. This story is not very Felix/Piers _or _Felix/Alex. In fact, they're the characters that appear most infrequently. I seem to be focusing more on the dynamics and relationships within the remainder of the group. I will try to rectify this. I had planned to do a chapter consisting of unconnected flashbacks relating to these three characters, a sort of scrapbook of memories for both pairings. I'm going to delay this until chapter 14, because I want the Mercury lighthouse issue to be resolved, and no cliffhanger left. Also, I apologize for the absurd length of these notes.


	13. The Strange Tale of the Lighthouse

A/N: I beat Dullahan...again. I get that no one cares, but it matters in my head, and that's where it counts, I guess. Thankfully everyone was at a high enough level that when my carefully thought out strategy inevitably went wrong, my chars weren't painfully downgraded. I also FINALLY got the Tisiphone Edge. I am happy.

_Not for the first time that day, Mia's heart sank like a stone. "The – the what?"_

"_Surely you know? Today's the grand opening of the Imil Teleport Pad!"_

Chapter 14 – The Strange Tale of the Lighthouse 

Ivan was the first to speak, having noticed several of the party glaring at him as though this was somehow his fault for giving them misinformation. "What? No, that's not correct. The Teleport Pad in Imil is not supposed to open until next month."

Callista raised a bushy blue eyebrow. "Aren't you clever? No, the opening's been pushed forwards. Are you all planning on staying for the ceremony? I imagine not, given the looks on all your faces."

Isaac furrowed his brows in confusion. "Wait. So your Teleport Lapis is in the lighthouse? Why?"

"It was placed there for ceremonial purposes. It'll be retrieved later today by two young Mercury clan members. Are you all insinuating that Alex is trying to steal it?"

Ivan nodded. "If it's there, that must be the reason, but I can't see why, since Alex already _has _a – oh!" he exclaimed.

"What?"

Ivan sighed. "They're taking it so _we _can't get at it."

Jenna rolled her eyes. "Of course they are. How very like Alex to plan ahead this much."

Ivan folded his arms. "Right. So they anticipated we'd need a Lapis in order to follow them and would come straight to Imil. To pre-empt us they came here first to steal it, to make sure we can't use it to follow them."

Callista looked confused. "I'm not totally following, but whatever, I don't care. Just make sure we still have our Lapis for the ceremony this evening. I'm going to do a practical demonstration of its power."

Mia and Ivan looked at each other significantly, while Jenna rolled her eyes at Isaac.

"Shall we go now?"

Callista sniffed. "Yes, yes, go. Oh! Wait. What – what is that?" She had closed her eyes and was extending her arms as if in a trance.

"Um, are you OK?"

"Stay! My – my powers of prophecy. I feel something!" she exclaimed dramatically. "A very powerful Jupiter adept...the most powerful to ever live, and a descendant of the gods...stands in this room. That adept is destined for greatness beyond belief!" she cried, and opened her eyes.

"Well." Said Jenna, coughing slightly. "Thanks for that. We'll just be going now..."

The six adepts exited the house as the mayor sat back down at her desk. When the door shut behind them, she resumed her previous activity – which had been the reading of an extremely trashy romance novel.

"Well. That was enlightening." Remarked Jenna sarcastically. "What a competent mayor you have."

Mia sighed. "She's not really that bad, she's just difficult sometimes. She's completely incongruous with all the other adults I know. And everyone knows her prophecies are completely bogus."

"I don't know." Put in Piers. "She knew Sheba was descended from the gods, after all. And that she's the most powerful Jupiter adept on Weyard."

Mia shrugged. "She's pretty well informed. She's...um, close friends with Faran."

"Close friends?" choked Sheba. "With my dad?"

"This would have been a while before you arrived, I think. Don't worry, it was nothing serious. Supposedly she's had some intrigue or other with the mayor of Madra, too. And don't ask me why, but she visits Izumo with worrying frequency."

Sheba giggled. "She's probably hoping to get somewhere with that cutie Susa."

Jenna snorted. "He was, wasn't he? If I wasn't engaged..."

The boys gave each other exasperated looks while Mia simply smiled in her sweet way.

-----------------------------------------------

"So where exactly is the Teleport Lapis? I mean, I know, the lighthouse. But it's a pretty big lighthouse." asked Isaac, slightly bemused.

"Oh. I forgot to ask!" exclaimed Mia. "Whoops. I'll go back."

Iva shook his head determinedly. "You don't have to do that. It's on the aerie."

"How do you know?"

This was an explanation Ivan would rather not have had to make. "Um, well, I had a word with Hama a couple of weeks ago. She said that they're placing their Lapis atop Jupiter Lighthouse. I mean, it makes sense for them to have one, they have a Teleport Pad in Contigo anyway. And inside Anemos Sanctum."

Jenna grinned. "I really hope Alex goes in there and runs into Dullahan. He wouldn't be so tough if that happened."

Sheba giggled. "Damn straight."

"So you think their idea is to steal all of the Lapises so we cannot possibly follow them? This is such a ridiculous premise." Argued Isaac. "They can't hole up in Anemos Sanctum or the Islet Cave forever. They have to have somewhere to actually live. Unless they really want to spend the rest of their lives fending off Cruel Dragons."

Ivan nodded. "That's a good point...the only idea I can get hold of is that they want somewhere we can't possibly find them until we give up and go home. Then they'll come out of hiding and settle somewhere. Probably the Apojii Islands, if their intention is to go the Islet Cave. But we can't rule out the possibly that they'll go to Prox or Contigo."

"Yes we can." Argued Sheba. "They won't go to Prox. Jenna, remember when we were travelling with those guys? Alex hated being in Prox. Because Mars Lighthouse was so close, his power was drained most of the time. And he can't go to Contigo! Hama lives there, right? She'd recognise him instantly."

Ivan nodded. "You're right. So what about Alhafra? There's the Yampi Desert Cave."

Sheba shook her head. "Same problem. Besides, that'd be too close to home, I think."

Piers was getting slightly frustrated at this. "So what are you guys saying, that we should just go home and wait for six months, and then head off to the Apojii Islands?"

Ivan shook his head. "Not necessarily. Obviously it's to our advantage if we can head them off now."

"Then I think we should stop talking and go up the Lighthouse already. They might have left by now."

Mia slipped back in the room, unnoticed by the rest of the team until she spoke. "It's fine, you guys. I just had a word with Cal. She, Justin, Megan and a number of other villagers are guarding the Teleport Pad until the ceremony. Everyone's positive they're still in the lighthouse. We just have to get the Lapis before they do."

"Let's go!"

----------------------------------------------------

"_Isaac. Wake up, Isaac."_

"_Hmmnh?" Isaac opened his bleary eyes, but pulled the covers further over his cold torso, only to have them removed by his innocent-looking girlfriend._

"_Isaac. I was hoping you'd get up to see me off."_

"_Oh." Isaac sat up. "Maybe you should just not go."_

_Mia gave an exasperated sigh. "Isaac, we've talked about this. I have to go back to Imil. They need me more there than you do here."_

"_That's not true." Protested Isaac._

"_It's perfectly true, actually. You're strong enough to handle a few months on your own."_

"_That's not the point. We only just rebuilt this house. It's only been a couple of months since we saved the whole damn planet and now you're upping and leaving? It doesn't seem fair."_

"_Isaac!" reprimanded Mia. "Please, stop it. If I wanted an emotional boyfriend I would have hit on Piers. I cannot handle this on my own. I need you to be strong for me. Don't you get that?"_

_Isaac bowed his head in shame. "Sorry." He mumbled._

"_Thank you. Now I want to you get dressed and see me to the gate."_

_Isaac allowed himself a small smile. "You're getting to be as bossy as Jenna."_

_Mia looked horrified. "Don't say that!"_

"_Come here." Isaac put his arms around Mia's waist and pulled her close. "How long do you think? Before you move here permanently?"_

"_Isaac....come on. I'll visit frequently enough. We don't even know how long we'll be together."_

"_Estimate?"_

"_You're impossible! OK, Megan will be turning fourteen in May, so...eighteen months?"_

"_Eighteen months!"_

"_Is there a problem?"_

"_No, it's just...eighteen months. Eighteen months seems like fucking eternity."_

"_It's not. I'll be back in one month to visit. We need to go now, Isaac."_

"_No...don't go...."_

"Wake up. Come on, Isaac."

"_Stay...."_

"Isaac, you dope! Wake up!"

"Hnh? Oh...dreaming. I see."

Isaac looked around him. He appeared to be in an unfamiliar bed, an unfamiliar bedroom, with an unfamiliar fire blazing opposite him, and crowded round were several people. Jenna was by his bedside, her eyes narrowed at him for worrying her so much, but her hand reassuringly ruffling his hair, as if to let him know she wasn't too angry with him. Ivan was by his other side, silently holding his right hand. Piers was standing behind Jenna, an arm tentatively placed around her shoulder, also looking at Isaac with worry. Callista, the mayor, was in the corner talking to two adults Isaac didn't recognise. She looked a stark contrast to how he had last seen her. Her long hair was inexplicably shiny and was tied back in a tight bun, her owlish glasses had been replaced by small red frames, and was wearing a severe blue suit and heeled boots, teamed with an open blue robe. She was carrying what Isaac recognised as a Tungsten Mace. He caught a few words of their conversation as his ears adjusted to the environment, but he was painfully aware that he should have been able to hear more.

"...absolute Iris-damned disaster. No...nothing we can do at all. Yes, of course they got away. They had a Lapis, didn't they?"

"Such a tragedy..." the woman with Callista was saying. She was taller than Callista by about a head and black-haired, and looked around ten years older. "Do the parents know yet?"

"Yes." Replied Callista, a stoic expression on her face. "I informed them two hours ago."

"I can only assume the ceremony is cancelled."

Cal shifted uncomfortably. "In a professional capacity, I'd rather it carried on as normal. We've absolutely got the luck of Charon himself to even still have a Lapis. But, given the circumstances, perhaps it's best if we do cancel it. Mia's in no fit state. Besides, these kids need to rest up and get moving. That Lapis belongs to them now."

Cal turned her head and noticed Isaac stirring. "I think we should continue this conversation somewhere else." She said emotionlessly.

The man, a bulky redhead that Isaac recognised with some surprise as one of Garet's uncles, and the tall woman departed with Callista.

Isaac grunted. "Where am I?"

It was Jenna who answered. "You saw the woman with the dark hair? Her name is Angela. She's an emissary for the city. It means she represents Imil at public events, along with Cal. Supposedly she's usually out of town, and she spends most of her time in other cities, but she happened to be here. This is her house."

"OK. Why am I here? I don't...what's going on?"

Ivan looked as though he was going to cry. "Don't you remember anything, Isaac?"

Isaac thought for a moment. "Yes...we were going to save Felix. He's been kidnapped."

Stony silence. "That's it? You don't remember anything since then?"

"Let me think for a minute. OK, we went to Vault, I remember that...vaguely. And we came to Imil...no, Bilibin first. I do remember. We came through the cave and arrived here. So why haven't we gone after Alex and Felix? Weren't we going to the lighthouse?"

Ivan and Jenna looked at each other significantly. "At least you remember that much. We _did _go to the lighthouse, Isaac. Four hours ago."

"Four hours?"

"I'll fill you in on everything, Isaac, but just promise to stay quiet. I'm not happy about the whole reliving it thing."

"You don't have to." Interrupted Piers. "I can tell him what happened. You two go and check on Mia and Sheba."

Isaac had indeed noticed the conspicuous absence of Mia and Sheba.

Jenna nodded and stood up. Isaac started at the removal of the comfortable warmth of Ivan's hand as he, too, left the room.

"So? What happened?"

Piers sighed. "Well, it's simple, really. We entered the lighthouse, and we figured we'd go straight up to the aerie since the elevators are supposed to work. But of course neither of them were at the bottom of the lighthouse. So we had to go through the entire lighthouse to get to the top."

"Oh."

"To be honest, we didn't run into any particular harm until we were almost at the top. We came to a balcony and they were just...there. Holding the Lapis. They'd just taken it from the aerie."

Piers paused for a moment, as if it was hurting him just to say the words.

"I'm sorry, Piers. It can't have been easy."

"It's fine. So there they were, ready to fight us, and we got into it a little bit - "

"Me too?"

Piers grinned. "Of course, you. With a sword like that? We need you in our active party."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "It's nothing compared to the Sol Blade, though."

"Well, no. But I think we might have diverged from the point a little. We started fighting. Ivan got badly hurt."

"What - "

"Calm down. He fainted two or three times. You revived him every time."

"Is he OK?"

"Yes. He's very tired. He has absolutely no strength left. But he'll be fine. Anyway. We fought for five or ten minutes, and then...well, Justin and Megan came up."

"Justin and Megan?"

"It was...awful. Mia screamed at them to get down, that it wasn't safe, that they never should have come up, but they kept insisting that they could offer help. They moved to the edge of the balcony and tried to strike Alex with a couple of Hail Prisms."

"What happened?"

"What do you think happened? They're absolutely no match for him, of course. He fainted them with a single Froth Spiral. And then he - he - "

"What?"

Piers swallowed. "He used Spark Plasma to destroy the part of balcony they were lying on. They fell down, Isaac. It's over a hundred feet."

Isaac paled. "Are they OK? Did Mia heal them?"

Piers could not even look Isaac in the face. "It was a little too late for that."

Isaac choked the words out. "They – they're _dead_?"

Piers nodded mutely. "Mia tried to jump after them, like Felix did for Sheba, but you and Sheba stopped her. They died instantly. We carried them back here." Piers shook his head in disgust. "Alex murdered them. His last two living clan members bar Mia. He murdered them in cold blood."

Isaac felt sick. "This is...not happening. Why? Why is this happening to everyone we care about? I don't understand. It's so unfair..."

"I know. After that Mia went crazy and tried to Freeze Prism Alex, but he blocked it with Guard Aura. He ordered Felix to take you out with Megiddo."

"Is that what happened? Felix did that?"

Piers shook his head. "He refused. He said he didn't want to do that to an old friend. Alex used Megacool and then got you with some weird attack I've never seen before. It knocked you out cold and we didn't have the resources to revive you. We had to take you out of the active party and have Mia look after you for a little while."

"So...what happened after that? Did they get away with both Lapises?"

Piers shook his head. "Jenna was amazing. She Dragon Fumed that guy to within an inch of his life. He didn't faint, but looked like he was close to it. Sheba and Ivan teamed up and did a double Spark Plasma on Felix and he was down for the count. Sheba grabbed the Lapis and that was it. Alex didn't have the energy to revive Felix and knew he had to get out. He managed one last Freeze Prism and I didn't see what happened, we were trying to recover from that, but he must have just picked Felix up and run off."

Isaac rubbed his temples. "But how did he get out of Imil?"

"I expect he drank a Potion on the way to the Teleport Pad, because by all accounts he was at full power when he arrived there. He just took out the guards one by one. None of them really stood a chance. Apparently that Samuel man – you know, Garet's uncle – put up a good fight, he is a Mars adept after all. But Alex dealt with him too. Then – he just Teleported out and that was that."

"So you guys didn't go after him yet?"

"Of course not. Without you, we stand even less of a chance than we do already. And Mia's in no state to be going after Alex. She's inconsolable. Sheba's been with her ever since we got back, trying to make her feel better, but it doesn't seem to be working. And I'm not surprised. She blames herself for their deaths. All we could do after Alex left the lighthouse was carry you three back and explain what happened."

"So it was a disaster, basically."

"Basically. But at least we recovered the Lapis. That's one thing to be grateful for."

Isaac raised his eyebrows. "You seem to be handling this awfully well. Considering you've been attacked by Felix of all people."

"He didn't. He wouldn't attack any of us, Alex had to do it on his own, which speaks volumes about his power, if you ask me."

"It also speaks volumes about how much Felix cares about us. About you."

Piers did not reply. He simply stared at Isaac.

"Well. Do you think I should go and see Mia?"

Piers shook his head. "I don't think that would be the best idea right now. Sheba's there. She's handling this really well. And I don't think Mia needs more than one person around her at the moment. I think you need to stay here and rest. The fact is, we have to carry on tomorrow morning whether we're ready or not. We have a Lapis, but it'll only take us so far. And I don't think they'll be sorry to see the back of us, to be honest. We've – we've basically killed two teenage adepts and gotten at least half a dozen villagers seriously injured. AND irreparably damaged the Mercury lighthouse, although admittedly, not a magical part of it. It'll be a miracle if this illness doesn't get worse again. "

"OK. Maybe I should sleep."

"Maybe not. You've got a serious risk of concussion. After the head wound you sustained, you're frankly lucky to be alive. Good job your girlfriend's such an amazing healer. I'm sending Ivan in. He'll keep an eye, make sure nothing bad happens to you. Sheba will probably stay with Mia all night. As for Jenna and I, we're both exhausted, and that girl was a saviour today, she's getting some well deserved sleep. See you in the morning."

Piers exited the room without another word. After a lapse of perhaps two minutes, Ivan came in , looking painfully tired but also racked with worry.

"Isaac. Oh Iris." He ran over to Isaac's bed and threw his arms around Isaac's neck, tears forming in his eyes. "I was so fricking worried about you. I thought you were going to die!"

Isaac frowned, holding Ivan closer. "Hey. Let's have none of that. I'm absolutely fine now. Got that? Nothing to be worried about."

"I thought I'd never get to speak to you again."

"But you will. I'll always be here for you, Ivan. You're one of the most important people in my life. You're one of my best friends. I'm not going to leave you."

"Friends?" mumbled Ivan, his voice muffled against Isaac's shoulder. "Isaac, I can't do this anymore! When I thought I was going to lose you, I nearly lost my mind. I just kept going through in my head all the things I needed to say to you, but would never get the chance. I have to say this. I have to."

Isaac shook his head desperately. "Please don't. I can't hear it. I won't be able to deal with it on top of everything else."

Ivan nodded reluctantly. "OK. I won't say it."

Silence.

"I do, though."

"I do, too."

-------------------------------------------------

It was not a pleasant night for most of the adepts. Sheba stayed by Mia, holding the girl as she shook with her sobs, until she fell asleep. Piers tried to sleep, but kept going over that's evening's events in his mind. Picturing Felix's face as he healed Alex's battle wounds. As he refused to attack Isaac. As he stubbornly refused to meet Piers' eyes. Jenna, exhausted, slept sporadically through the night, but there were only two bedrooms, and while Isaac was in one of them, she and Piers had offered up the remaining one to Mia. Piers was tossing and turning in the spacious and remarkably comfortable linen closet, while Jenna was dozing on the floor of the bathroom. It was so uncomfortable that she woke every couple of hours, either to stilted conversation coming from Isaac's room, Piers' persistent tossing, or Mia's choked cries.

---------------------------------------------------

It was the morning after. Isaac was up and about, although tired, having been denied the luxury of sleep. Ivan _was _asleep, having dropped off at the breakfast table. Jenna and Piers were making sure the group had everything they needed, with periodic interruptions from Sheba.

Apparently the emissary's house was quite the place to be on a frosty Imilian Friday morning, and both Callista and Megan's parents had dropped in by nine o clock.

Megan's mother was still in shock, and wanted to speak with Mia, but she categorically refused to leave her room, and would only speak to Sheba. Megan's mother instead spoke with Jenna and Piers. She thanked them for trying to save Megan, after Jenna properly explained what had happened. She gave the impression of a woman whose very being had ceased to exist. It was impossible to describe. She accepted Jenna's explanation and left, wandering around as if she herself was nothing more than a ghost.

Callista stayed longer, and showed the same stoically professional persona that she had hinted at in the bedroom the previous day. There was no sign anywhere of the flighty, messy, shallow individual they had met before. Although her bossiness was just as apparent.

"As the mayor of Imil, I officially hand it over to you. If it means the successful capture and execution of that menace, we can very much do without our Lapis for the time being."

"You are aware that Angara doesn't actually have capital punishment, right?"

"Perfectly. I give you official permission to kill him." She snarled. "Don't come back until you are rid of him. Until _we _are rid of him."

Jenna shook her head. "We're not in this for that reason. We're doing this to get back Felix. If Felix is happy, we're not doing a thing about it."

"And is he? Surely you asked."

Piers shook his head forlornly. "Yes, but he wouldn't speak. I think Alex instructed him not to."

"Whatever. This is none of my concern. Just know that I am not giving you this Lapis as a personal favour, because frankly, I don't like any of you that much. I am doing this for the safety of my town. And if ever, and I mean _ever,_" she hissed, "my people have to suffer at that man's hands again, I will hold the six of you personally responsible. Good day to you."

She walked swiftly out of the house.

"Urgh. What a bitch. I'm so glad she didn't see Mia. Because to be told she is personally responsible for the deaths of those kids is the very last thing she needs right now."

Isaac looked up from the breakfast table, where he had been absentmindedly stroking Ivan's hair. "Is Mia ready to go? Because I assume everything is ready?" he inquired, looking at Jenna.

She nodded. "Yeah, we're all done. I stocked us up on Mist Potions, and mended and repacked your tunic. Tisiphone's in my room. I had your ring fixed, too."

Isaac smiled warmly. "Thanks, Jen."

"Not a problem. As for Mia, I don't know. Sheba?"

Sheba shrugged. "I haven't spoken to her this morning. She was still asleep when I came down. But...I think she, um...well, I'll fetch her."

Jenna nodded. "OK. Isaac, wake up Ivan and get him ready. Go get your stuff. Piers and I are heading to the Teleport Pad, we'll meet you there in five minutes, OK?"

Isaac nodded. Two minutes later, Ivan, too, had left, and he was alone with Mia, who had been roused by Sheba and brought downstairs.

She was looking bad. Her eyes were still red and swollen, and she looked as if she hadn't slept all night. She made tentative steps towards Isaac, but did not hug him.

"Isaac." She croaked.

He sighed. He suspected he knew what was coming. "You're staying, aren't you?"

She nodded. "I'm needed here more than ever. Two healers gone. Six townspeople critically injured. The illness, back...again. Besides, I can't look at Alex again. I know that for sure. I'm too weak. You don't need me."

"You're the one we need most! You're our healer."

"Not necessarily. Piers can cast a decent Pure Wish, and Jenna's got Cool Aura. You'll be fine without me."

"I'm not going to talk you out of this, am I?"

She shook her head.

He nodded. "Do you want me to hug you? Or kiss you goodbye? Anything?"

Mia sniffed. "It's not about what I want."

"We're not talking about the staying thing anymore, are we?"

"I just want you to be happy, Isaac."

"But I - "

"Don't fight it. Please, Isaac. I don't have the energy anymore. Don't fight for something that was never there in the first place."

"It was there. It was. All those times I said I loved you? I meant it."

Mia smiled wanly. "I know. Goodbye and good luck, Isaac."

END CHAPTER

A/N: Gah! Long chapter. Please do review. I haven't had a review in a REAAALLLY long time, and, as Yahtzee would say, I use my reader traffic to measure my worth as a human being. I jest, I jest.

A/N yet again: If anyone can correctly identify the song lyric used in this chapter, I will hunt you down, present you with real, genuine, fresh-baked cookies and glomp you into next Tuesday. OK, that's a lie. But you will win a hundred internets.


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